The Sign
by Amaltheafan
Summary: Turns out the lemur kingdom wasn't as prepared for Clover's absence as they thought. With her gone and the threat of fossa once again looming over their heads, our lovable lemurs are in dire need of a hero. King Julien believes Frank himself has shown that hero in the most unlikely of candidates.
1. Chapter 1

**Takes place after ****the ****series finale and divergences away from movie canon. Cause the whole thing about the series being a prequel to the movies, meaning that King Julien up and abandons his people and all the character development he went through the whole series is all for nothing? Yeah, I think that's dumb and we're not gonna do that.**

...

"We're all gonna die!"

The fossa came. They weren't supposed to but they came just the same, crashing the lemur's party, just as hungry for blood and lemur meat as ever. And there was no one there to stop them.

Clover was gone, having left the previous night with Sage Moondancer to rule The Mountain Lemur Kingdom together as newly married husband and wife.

Everyone though that they would be safe, Mary Ann having promised to keep her fellow fossa away from King Julien's kingdom.

But there they were and it was all King Julien could do but watch helplessly as his subjects desperately fled for their lives. He couldn't move, his feet having rooted themselves to the rock he had just been dancing on moments ago. His people's cries and Maurice's frantic voice were muffled in his ears. He couldn't breathe, his vision started to cloud and the world began to spun. His heart was beating so fast that he was sure it was going to explode.

Clover wasn't coming to the rescue. Mary Ann clearly wasn't keeping her kind away. The kingdom had lost all lines of defense, leaving King Julien and his subjects at the mercy of the fossa.

Willie was right, they were all going to die.

A few did, carried off to never be seen again.

But the rest survived.

Like some kind of angel from above, a strange animal came out of nowhere and scared away the fossa. He called himself, Alex The Lion, saying that he and his friends had washed up onto Madagascar the night before. Overcome with gratitude and seeing this as an opportunity to keep themselves safe, King Julien and most of the other lemurs welcomed Alex and his friends with open arms, dubbing them with the affectionate nickname 'The New York Giants' on account of their large sizes and that they said they came from a faraway land called 'New York'. There were those like Maurice who were wary, saying that Alex gave him in his own words 'the heebie jeebies'. Then there was Hector, who point blank said that Alex looked like a bigger version of a fossa (through with weird hair) and was probably a carnivore as well that was sure to try and eat them. All these concerns were brushed aside.

Of course the wary few were proved right when complications came up. Bites on the butts complications. After Alex attacked one of his own friends, King Julien banished him from the kingdom to go live among his fellow predators. After some soul searching, daring rescues and the power of friendship, the New Yorkers were able to save each other, the bonds between friends made stronger and it seemed that everything would be alright after all.

There was a grand celebration, with most everyone in the kingdom plus the New Yorkers attending. They were all gathered under a clear blue sky, the sun's rays warming them on a lovely sandy beach seated around a long driftwood table. Hung above the head of the table was a big banner made out of large palm leaves and multi-colored flowers that spelled out the words.

_Thank You Freaks_

There was a great abundance of food for all, even for Alex. Turns out he liked fish even more then steak. So much so that he ordered a bunch to go.

"To go? Why would you need them to go?" King Julien asked.

"Uh, cause I need something to eat on the trip back to New York, duh." was Alex's response.

In a flash, Julien took a swig of sea water, spit it all over Maurice, then yelled, "What!?"

"He needs food while we're traveling back to New York. What's so hard to understand about that?" Gloria asked.

"You-you mean, you're leaving us?" Julien's stomach dropped.

"Uh, yes?" Alex said before quickly realizing that wasn't a good answer, seeing the pained expressions start to appear on the lemur's faces, especially Julien's.

"You leave. You-You just can't!" Julien jumped up onto the table, marched over to Alex to grab his cheeks and got right into the lion's face, saying on the edge of panic, "If this is about the whole banishment thing, please understand it was nothing personal! You were all crazy and hungry and wanting to eat us and…."

"Dude, I'm not mad about that!" Alex said, pulling Juliens paws away. "I totally understand, big hungry predator wanting to eat your face off, I would have banished me too. We're just ready to go back to New York, that's all. Nothing personal."

"Please understand, you guys have been great and this place is amazing but...I think I speak for us all when I say that we've had enough adventure for a while. A good long while. Now we just want to go home." Marty added, trying to be as gentle as he could.

"No, no, no, no, no." Julien held his head.

"Hey, you okay?" Melman asked in concern.

"No I'm not! You're leaving us! And when the fossa figure out you're gone..." Memories of the fossa attack a few days prior came flooding back. Julien's body began to tremble.

"We're all gonna die!" Willie proclaimed and that got all the other lemurs screaming and running around in a panic. Mort fell to the sand, big fat tears streaming down his cheeks as he cried out to the sky. Maurice curled up in his seat and started blabbering gibberish as he held himself, rocking back and forth. Julien stood where he was, hyperventilating. Lemurs who weren't running around in circles kneeled down and shouted up at the sky or lay down in the sand, curling in on themselves to cry.

Marty, Alex, Melmen, Gloria and the chimps stayed in their seats, looking helplessly at each other, uncertainty freezing them in place.

A sharp whistle pierced through the air, catching some animal's attentions, stopping to look towards the source. It was Skipper, one of the funny looking black and white birds that called themselves penguins.

"We can't leave, the decision's already been made for us." He declared from on top the table.

"What no, you're not gonna guilt trip us too?" Alex whined.

"What? No, I mean we _literally_ cannot get off this island. At least not on the boat." Skipper looked towards the large shipping boat that he and his companions had hijacked to make their ill-fated trip to Antarctica. "It's out of fuel." He said matter of fact like.

Skipper's words pulling King Julien out of his haze, helping him to start breathing normal and peeking his interest in the conversation.

"And you're telling us this _now_?" Melmen asked incredulously.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Gloria added.

"You all would have figured it out soon enough." Skipper said like it was the most mundane thing, shrugging his shoulders.

"So what, you were just gonna let us get on the boat and look like a bunch of idiots when it didn't start? Why would you do that?" Alex demanded, getting up right in Skipper's face.

"Cause it would have been really funny?"

Alex stood frozen except for the occasional eye twitch as King Julien scooted in and asked, "So uh, let me get this straight. You're saying that you _can'__t_ leave the island?"

"That is correct. We have no mode of working transportation. We're stuck here." Kowalski confirmed.

A wide grin spread across King Julien's face and then he proceeded to hug each of the penguins (with mixed reactions) before running around, announcing to his subjects,

"The freak's boat is broken!"

"They can't leave!"

"We're saved!"

This slowly but surely caused the rest of the lemurs to pause and process this new information and after it all sank in, they too joined their king in running and jumping around in joy.

"We're all gonna live!" Willie shouted from a triumphant stance on the table.

While all this was happening, Alex, Marty, Melmen, and Gloria were processing it all too, frozen as they realized what this new development meant for them as all around lemurs were hugging and crying and skipping and shouting for joy.

"The New York Giants are staying forever!" King Julien happily declared while he and Maurice hugged, blissfully oblivious to the larger animals shocked and pained expressions.

"Forever?" Alex said in a daze.

Forever stranded on Madagascar.

"Yes, forever, here with us!" Julien jumped on Alex to give him a big hug around the neck.

Forever stuck with a bunch of animals that were more then happy that they would never see their beloved home ever again.

"Forever." Marty said.

"Yes, I just said that." Julien's smile lessened, noticing their somber expressions. "Hey, hey come on now, it won't be so bad. We'll take care of you guys, just as you'll take care of us. You all are gonna be hooked for life, given the real hero's treatment for the rest of your days, I promise."

No response.

Julien sighed. "Look, you want to know what this kingdom is like with no protection? The worse! Hiding away and keeping quiet, with no parties or anything fun and loud in hopes of _maybe_ not attracting fossa and even then, so many of us dying anyways. My people deserve better then that. You get that, right?" Julien patted Alex's cheek and looked at him expectantly.

Alex let out a sad sigh and said, defeated, "Fine, whatever. Like you said, we're stuck here anyways. Might as well be useful."

The penguins were fine, just happy to be together and anywhere that wasn't Antarctica. The chimps too were content just being together wherever, neither having any strong feelings towards their former home. They could all make the whole stranded on a tropical island situation work. It was Marty, Melmen, Alex, and Gloria that King Julien had to win over and he thought one way to do that was show them how much fun the kingdom could be, including a relaxing time in the jacuzzi….which they couldn't fit in, even just one of them by themselves. The chimps and the penguins were small enough but the rest were too big. Turns out they were also too wide for the water slides and too heavy for the trampolines, Marty breaking one upon just standing on it.

"You don't have much stuff built for larger animals, do you?" Marty asked unimpressed, surrounded by the trampoline frame with the leaf used as the bouncy bit underneath his hoofs.

"Uh, no, no we do not." Maurice said, to which King Julien quickly added,

"But we can! We can make you bigger trampolines and water slides and your own private giant jacuzzi!"

"Seriously?" Gloira said, not loving the lemur king's method of trying to make her and her friends feel better.

"Yes, we can handle the tramps and slides, while Timo can whip up the jacuzzi!"

"Who's Timo?" Melmen asked.

"Only our local royal science wizard who makes cool stuff for us all the time. A jacuzzi will be a breeze. Come on, Maurice, let's go get him right now." King Julien signaled for his friend to follow.

"Your majesty, I'm not sure..." Maurice started to say.

"Come on, Momo!" Julien grabbed Maurice's paw and dragged him away.

When they gotten a good distance was when Maurice tried again.

"King Julien, I don't think the New York Giants want a giant jacuzzi."

"They will when they see the one Timo builds them."

"I think they'd rather he build them a boat." Maurice grumbled without much thought but then he paused and really started to mull over his words, King Julien doing the same.

Timo had built plenty of fantastic inventions in the past. Fighting robots, sound mixing machines, even inter dimensional portals. A boat or a plane or something along those lines would be a walk in the park for him.

"You're right, he could build them a boat or whatever, then they truly would be happy because they could go home but..." The implications were sinking in for Julien.

"But if they go home, then…." Maurice and Julien looked at each other, knowing what that would mean for them and the rest of the kingdom.

"I….I don't want to keep them here forever but we still need someone to protect us but deceiving and keeping them against their will here would be wrong but without them, we'd be left defenseless _again_ and more of us will die and…and I don't know. I don't know what to do here!" Maurice shouted, panicking.

Julien paced around and thought and thought and thought some more until finally, a light bulb went off in his brain.

"I got it!" He shouted, getting into Maurice's face, wide grin upon his own.

"You do?"

"Yes! Come on, Momo! Let's go to Timo's! I'll explain on the way!" Julien once again grabbed Maurice's paw and dragged him off.

…

King Julien stood atop the high rock with Maurice and Timo by his side, his subjects plus the New Yorkers gathered below. Timo and Julien were most excited, a shine in their eyes and wide smiles on their faces. Maurice wore his own small smile.

Gloria, Marty, Melmen, and Alex were still downtrodden, Alex being especially miserable, only half listening as the king began to speak.

"Peoples, I have gathered you all here today for a most important matter. Freaks, for all your service to us, I have a most special present for you."

"We don't want a giant jacuzzi, Julien!" Gloria shouted his way.

"It's even better then a jacuzzi, I promise. But first, I have to say a few things." Julien turned his focus to his subjects. "As you know, we lemurs and the freaks each want different things. We want someone to keep the fossa from mauling and eating us, while the freaks wish to go home."

"You've already won, Julien. We're staying, not that we have any choice in the manner." Alex said bitterly, grumbling the last bit.

"Let me finish!" Julien held up a finger, then continued, "As I was saying, I have come up with an ingenious plan so that everybody gets what they want. Timo." He indicated Timo.

"That's the science wizard guy?" Melmen asked.

"Yes, this is Timo."

"Hi." Timo said, waving.

"Timo here is going to use his big smarty pants brain of his to build a brand new security system for the kingdom and when he is done with that." King Julien looked directly at the New Yorkers. "He will then go on to help you freaks build a way off Madagascar and back to your beloved New York. So, what do you think? Much better then a jacuzzi, right?"

"Wait, you're saying this guy can not only build to protect ya'll but also something that can take me and my friends across the ocean, half way across the world, all the way back to New York City?" Marty was skeptical to say the least and he wasn't the only one.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying! This way, me and my peeps will be safe and all you freaks get to go home! Everybody wins!"

"Well, If there's way for everybody to be happy, then I say we go for it. I'm game!" Ted said, raising a paw, excited by this new idea. Others joined him, voicing their approval.

"I promise to keep you guys safe." King Julien said before climbing down to meet Alex and offer him a paw, "And I promise to get you guys home."

"….Thank you."

They shook paws.

Alex didn't believe for a second that Timo could really build them a way back to New York but he figured he'd least let the little guy try. If nothing else, he preferred the lemur's new attitude, better then celebrating the fact that he and his friends were stuck there for the rest of their lives.

Meanwhile, King Julien was over the moon. After all, Timo was smart, how hard could it be to pull the plan off?

….

Smoke climbed up into the sky, coloring it various shades of grey.

Desperate cries and coughing fits rang out, every so often a great, metal roar joining in.

Roaring flames clung to trees and huts, cracking, whittling them down to blackened husks.

A young lemur tugged on his king's arm.

"Mister King Julien, everything's on fire." Todd said once again, trying his best to control the tremor in his little voice.

King Julien didn't respond, continuing to stare ahead wide eyed, watching the chaos surrounding them.

The outline of the newest model of Mega Gecko could be seen through the smoke, glowing red eyes peering through the haze, once again letting out an earth scattering roar and with it, a fresh round of flames, which swarmed a nearby tree.

Cough Cough "Mister King Julien, everything's on fire. Shouldn't you do something?"

"I'm on fire!" King Julien could hear Willie's voice screaming close by.

"Stop, drop, and roll Willie! Stop, drop, and roll!" Came Dorothy's frantic one.

The gecko set another tree ablaze but not before the chimp named Mason leaped from it and landed atop the giant metal beast, which didn't take kindly to having a passenger. It narrowed it's red eyes, let out another ear spiting roar and spun around in circles trying to shake the primate off, who managed to cling on with one hand while fiddling around the controls with the other. For what was probably only a few seconds but felt much longer, face flapping in the breeze, arm muscles tested to the limit, once satisfied with his part, Mason then let go, allowing himself to be flung off the killer contraption, landing roughly near Todd and Julien.

This managed to snap Julien out of his haze as he looked down at the brave primate spalled out on the ground before them.

"Are you okay, mister?" Todd asked.

Mason was able to pick himself up and stand just fine. "I'm fine but you two may want to get back." Mason told them before rushing off.

"Wait! What do you….?" Todd didn't finish asking his question before he got his answer.

The gecko exploded, going down in one final blaze. Julien and Todd briefly watched the spectacle until bits and pieces of Mega Gecko starting flying in their direction. Julien then gave out a yelp before grabbing Todd and dashing away, screaming and dodging flying bits of shrapnel as he carried the young lemur to safety.

Turns out Mason blew up the Mega Gecko with dynamite provided by the penguins, fighting fire with fire being the bird's logic.

Okay, so the use the Mega Gecko to scare away fossa and other enemies plan didn't work out but surely the next one would, right?

Right?

….

"Do something, Timo!"

"I'm trying!" Timo said as he frantically pushed numerous buttons to the remote control for his latest creation, a robot security guard lemur, which was at that moment flying ever higher into the sky with several lemurs clinging unto it for dear life while Timo, King Julien and others watch helplessly on the ground.

"Try harder!" King Julien shouted into his ear.

"I think...I've almost...got it!" Timo pushed one last button. Then the remote control started to violently vibrate in his hands and a loud, emergency alarm blasted out, causing everyone near it to cover their ears against the head splitting noise.

"Uh oh." Timo said, very certain what that meant, back to frantically pushing buttons again.

"What do you mean, uh oh!?" Maurice shouted.

High up in the air, the robot security guard lemur said in it's calculated, electric voice, "Initiating self destruct sequence in tee minus…."

"We gotta jump!" Tammy declared.

"Are you nuts?! The fall will kill us!" Ted pointed out, the concerned crowd below looking like the tiniest mites from his perspective.

"I'll take my chances! Ahhhhhhhhh!" Tammy yelled, letting go and surrendering to gravity.

"Ten, Nine..."

The other lemurs let go as well, until it was only Ted holding on.

"Seven, Six…."

He took one last look at the world below, closed his eyes and let go.

"Three, Two, One."

Kaboom.

The impact of the explosion sped up the lemur's decent as they all fell down, down, down, air rushing through their fur, eyes stinging as they saw the world come ever so closer with each passing second.

Oh mercy, why had he jumped? Ted thought to himself. He was just trading in one death for another, his broken body sure to paint a grisly picture with the jungle floor as it's canvas.

"For the last time, I did not order a giant inflatable stunt bag." The crocodile ambassador tried to once again tell the rat as both of them stood next to said giant inflatable stunt bag outside the crocodile ambassador's hut.

"But it says _right here_ that you did." The rat pointed to a piece of paper attached to a clipboard.

"Well, I didn't and I'm not paying for it and that's final!" The crocodile ambassador tried to cross his arms but settled for simply resting them on his chest instead, turning up his nose.

Then they heard distant screaming and as they looked around for the source, the screaming got louder and louder until Tammy, Ted, and several other lemurs landed square onto the stunt bag, the collective force and weight causing the bag to slowly start to deflate. It sounded like a long, drawn out fart.

"You deflate it, you buy it." The rat said, to the crocodile ambassador shouted out in frustration.

…

A brand new wall surrounded the kingdom. It stood tall and thick, pillars cut from the strongest trees that could be found topped with sharp spikes and bared wire. The lone door was made of thick steel, bolted shut with multiple locks, controlled by a keypad combination lock on either side.

"I don't know about this, your majesty. Walls haven't exactly worked out too well for us in the past." Maurice pointed out as he and King Julien stood before the structure. He was of course referring to the last two walls built around the kingdom, the first that had worked too well keeping everyone in and the second that had done jack squat keeping anyone out.

"Oh Maurice, haven't you ever heard the expression 'third times the charm'? Besides, I got a good feeling about this one." King Julien said to him.

"That's what you said about all the other plans." Maurice grumbled.

By that point, it had been two weeks since King Julien had promised that Timo would help the New Yorkers get home after he had build something new to protect the lemurs. The royal scientist had built many inventions to try and do just that but all had failed miserably, ending in chaos, destruction and a big fat mess to clean up afterwards.

King Julien ignored that last comment. He did however continue to admire his latest and greatest plan to keep his subjects safe.

"This will work. I know it." Julien said with conviction.

Maurice sighed, then said. "I hope so."

Julien put an arm around his friend, who returned the gesture in kind.

"It's gotta work. It's just gotta." Julien kept that thought to himself.

The rest of that day and the whole night went by no trace of fossa. By the following afternoon, King Julien was feeling pretty confident that the fossa had walked by, taken one look at the formidable structure and had decided to admit defeat. Yep, he was feeling pretty good as he once again marveled at it all, the result of a marvelous plan that had made come from his ingenious mind.

And then came the noises.

Chainsaw like noises

Coming from the outer side of the wall.

Which was violently shaking.

And then who should come gnawing from the outside in but the king of the rats himself, King Joey, having chewed a hole all the way through. He was soon followed by several more rats poking their heads through from their own self made holes in the wall's sides.

The two kings locked eyes and then Joey said with eyes pleading and shame in his tone, "We're sorry."

Before King Julien could ponder just what he meant by that, King Joey and the rest of the rats suddenly yelped and came through their holes to land roughly inside the kingdom grounds, like they had been shoved.

And then fossa appeared in their places, making their way through and soon standing before the stunned lemur king.

"Missed us?" One fossa said to Julien, flashing her long pointy teeth.

To which Julien responded by yelling out, "Fossa!", bolting away towards the village, the fossa hot on his heels.

"The fossa got inside! Everybody run" Julien cried out as he made his way through his kingdom, calling out as loud as he could for all to hear.

Well, he didn't have to tell his subjects twice to start screaming and running for their lives. All the lemurs were soon dashing this way and that, dodging fangs and claws, trying their best not to die that day.

The New Yorkers were soon doing their best to fend the fossa off. The larger ones kicking, biting, clawing, head butting their opponents. While the chimps were throwing various projectiles, fruits and rocks and their own 'home made' ones at the vicious predators. While the penguins were sliding between the lemur carving carnivores to make them slam into each other.

Rico (one of the penguins) pulled a stick of dynamite and match out of his gullet, lit the dynamite up, then threw it into a cluster of fossa, who turned tail and managed to get far enough away not be blown up but still thrown back by the impact.

Trees were knocked over by the impact as well, which set off a domino effect that set one tree after another tumbling down, until the train of destruction got to the wall. A single tree landed on top of the same part of wall that the rats and fossa had come through. That proved too much for the already weakened section of the structure, soon crumbling down under the added weight, throwing up a cloud of dust and wood chips that rained down and settled about the ground.

The combined efforts of the New Yorkers soon sent the fossa running, whining and whimpering as they climbed over the fallen tree and through the one big hole in the wall and back into the jungle.

King Julien made his way over to the spot where he had been admiring his latest plan minutes before.

King Joey and the rats approached him with hesitation, Joey saying to him, "We're so sorry, King Julien. The fossa threatened to eat us if we didn't do as they asked."

King Julien didn't give a reply, instead turning back to look past the rats, back towards his kingdom.

Dust and wood chips continued to rain down and the haze hanging in the air stung at King Julien's eyes but that didn't stop him from gazing upon the latest destruction that had befallen his subjects. Through the haze he could see fallen trees littering the clearing, several laying on top of huts, pinning the structures under their massive weight and splintering them to pieces. Tree huts that had been flung out onto the ground, mangled and broken, unrecognizable from their previous state. Wood, dust, the projectiles used by the chimps and various personal items scattered upon the jungle floor. Lemurs limping about holding injured limps and injured loved ones, crying out in angst.

And King Julien took it all in, the weight of the all pain and suffering surrounding him crushing his heart just as the trees crushing the homes of his people.

"King Julien, a-are you alright?" King Joey asked, poking him to try and get a response, to which he didn't get one. Julien continued to stare in silent misery, ignoring his fellow king in the uncomfortable silence.

"King Julien, are you alright?" Maurice came rushing over to stand beside his friend.

"King Julien!" Mort shouted, rushing over and grabbing King Julien's ankles, who was numb to the mouse lemur's touch.

"Sure, whatever." King Julien said, mind a million miles away.

"All day." Hector joined them, glaring at the wall. "We spent an entire day building this thing and it took the fossa _two seconds_ to break in."

"Sorry." King Joey told him.

"_Two seconds_. All that work and for what? A whole lot of nothing that's what!" Hector looked back at the village and glared even more. "Nothing except for yet _another mess_ that _we_ have to clean up!"

"_We_ could help clean up. It's the least we could do." Joey offered.

"Hector..." Maurice started to say.

"That's all these cockamamie schemes amount to, isn't it?" Hector turned to Maurice, Julien, and Mort. "Just one big fat mess after another that we have to deal with even as our bodies are broken and our homes destroyed? Well, I say no more! I know how to stop this madness once and for all!"

This was enough to pull King Julien out of his mental fog, perking him right up. "You do?" He asked Hector, kicking Mort off to the side, sending the mouse lemur sliding across the ground several feet before coming to a stop face down in the dirt.

"Yes, I do."

Maurice didn't have a good feeling about this.

"Well, don't keep it to yourself, man! Tell me! Come on, tell me!" Julien grabbed Hector by the shoulders and shook him.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you! Get off of me!" Hector grabbed Julien's paws and pulled them away. "It's quite simple really."

Julien, Maurice and Mort leaned close with bated breath. More lemurs and the New Yorkers had shown up by this point and they too waited for his answer.

Hector pronounced each word slowly and carefully. "Bring. Clover. Back."

…

"E-excuse me?" King Julien was sure he had heard wrong.

"Bring. Clover. Back." Hector repeated.

"I..I'm sorry. My, my ears, must be messed up by the explosion. Cause what I'm hearing you say is 'bring Clover back', which-which can't be right." Julien didn't want to believe that he had heard right.

"Your ears ain't messed up, that's actually what I'm saying."

"You can't be serious..." Maurice said.

"I am serious! Look around you!" Hector turned to look at the village, spreading his arms out to indicate all the destruction before them. "None of this would have happened if Clover had just stayed where she belongs!"

"She belongs with Sage!" Julien shouted back.

"No, she belongs _here_, protecting _us_! Then we wouldn't have to be risking our lives with a bunch of stupid schemes all so a bunch of ingrates can go home!"

"Ingrates?" Alex asked.

"Yes!" Hector turned on him. "After all we did for you, welcoming you into our home (well okay, I didn't but most everyone else did). Welcoming you back even after _you_ wanted to _eat us_! You lot were ready to get on your boat and leave for your precious New York, leaving us to deal with the fossa once they figured out you were gone. You were gonna leave us to die, just like Clover!"

Alex had wanted to argue against that statement but upon seeing the first horrified, then darkening look come over King Julien's face, he instead decided that the best course of action would be to keep his mouth shut.

"Take. That. Back." King Julien's voice was dangerously low, eyes blazing, fists trembling at his sides.

"Why? Cause it's the truth?"

"I said. Take. That. Back." Julien's voice increased in volume.

"Nope, not doing that." Hector crossed his arms and shook his head.

"I said take it back!" Julien lunged forward, grabbing Hector by the shoulders and started to violently shake him. "Take it back right now!"

"No!"

"Stop it, Julien!" Maurice managed to get between the two lemurs and pulled them apart, keeping them at arm's length.

Julien pointed a finger at Hector. "So help me, Hector, if you don't take it back right now, I'll..."

"You'll what? Destroy my house? Too late, one of the fires beat you to it! Break my arm? Just healed from being thrown around by one of Timo's robots but sure, why not the other one? Make me build another wall? Sure, can't wait to see how long that one lasts before the fossa break it too! Make my life a living hell? You already have! And not just mine but all of us!" Hector looked at his fellow lemurs gathered around, which had grown to quite the large crowd. "We've been living a nightmare because you care more about a bunch of animals that you just met and a traitor who left us all for dead!"

"Clover isn't a traitor and she didn't leave you all for dead and I love you guys! That's why I've been racking my brains trying to find a way to protect you!"

"Yeah, sure, making us deal with a bunch of killer robots and useless walls that haven't done jack squat at keeping the fossa away but can surely crush you to death or send you flying half way across the island or set your hut on fire or crush it with a tree." Hector looked briefly over at the penguins, Rico being unable to met his eyes, before turning back once more to Julien. "All so that the _ingrates_ can go home and Clover can keep her _blockhead_ of a husband and be queen with her big, tough army and her _precious _weapons. Oh yeah, I can feel the love." All of this being said sarcastically of course, with the last sentence being especially bitter, some like Maurice practically being able to feel the deep resentment that shrouded the words.

"Don't listen to him! I know you love us, my king!" Mort said, once again grabbing Julien by the ankle, Julien in a desperate enough spot to allow him to stay there for the time being.

"See, Mort gets it!"

"King Julien, I know you care deeply about us but..." Maurice started to talk but then Julien interrupted him with a tight side hug.

"Maurice too!"

Julien looked out to his other subjects, sure to find another ally among them. "You guys surely don't agree with Hector, right? You know I love you guys, right? Ted, you know I love ya, right?"

Ted rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke with great hesitation, avoiding his king's pleading eyes, "Well I uh...that is to say..."

King Julien's face fell as he looked around at his subjects either avoiding his gaze like Ted or glaring daggers at him, like Pancho.

"Hector's right!" Pancho let himself be known, pointing towards Julien. "If you _really_ cared about us, then you would _march_ on over to the Mountain Lemur Kingdom and say to Clover that we're dying over here and _dem__a__n__d_ that she come home!" He looked around at his friends and neighbors and pumped a fist into the air, "Bring her back! Bring her back!"

One by one, more and more lemurs joined in, pumping their fists and stomping their feet until soon all of them except Julien, Maurice, and Mort were chanting as one.

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

"Peoples please, reconsider..." Julien let go of Maurice.

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

"There has to be another way. I...I'll find one, I promise I will! Just please…."

"Bring her back!"

"Can you all just…?"

"Bring her back!"

"Stop chanting for one second and listen to me?!" Julien cried out in frustration, patience wearing thin.

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

"Bring her back!"

Julien shut his eyes and held his head, trying to block them out but their chanting pounded on his brain. Maurice and Mort looked around helplessly, not knowing what to say or do to defuse the situation. After some moments, Julien let his arms fall and shouted,

"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!"

Loud enough so all present, from the front of the crowd to all the way in the back, heard him. The sheer force and volume enough to cause Maurice and Mort to step back in shock and nearby birds to scatter off into the air.

No one uttered a word as King Julien took some seconds to huff and puff and try to catch his breath, looking around manically as he did so. Then he continued to say,

"Clover. Isn't. Coming. Back! Not now, not ever! End of discussion and that's an order!", looking directly at Hector at the last few words, who took a moment before giving his response with more quiet, beaten down anger.

"Fine, here's another idea then. Let's send the freaks home, lay down, and wait for the fossa to eat us. _That_ good enough for ya?"

King Julien didn't respond. Hector turned and walked away, crowd parting ways to let him through. Giving their king some final looks ranging from outwardly hostile glares to sad kicked puppy eyes, most of the other lemurs then left as well.

King Julien started walking towards the hole in the wall.

"Your Majesty..." Maurice started to follow him.

"I wish to be alone." Julien interrupted, stopping Maurice in his tracks.

"King Julien..." Mort too started to trail him.

"That includes you too, Mort!" Julien snapped at him, looking over his shoulder. Upon seeing the hurt look on Mort's face, Julien's softened and so did his tone, "Please, please just leave me alone."

After Julien climbed over the fallen tree and disappeared to the other side of the wall, King Joey hesitantly approached Maurice, fiddling with crown in his paws, and asked, "Uh, Maurice? Can we help you guys clean up?"

"Sure Joey, sure."

Next was the penguins.

"Kaboom. Kaboom." Rico said sadly, bowing and shaking his head in shame.

"What Rico's saying is that he's sorry for knocking over your trees and crushing your huts and breaking your wall...even more." Private translated, rubbing the back of his neck and unable to meet Maurice's eyes, same for Skipper and Kowalski.

"If you're really sorry, then please go help clean up the village." Maurice said while rubbing his eyes, to which the penguins saluted and waddled off to do just that.

"Maurice, we..." Alex started to say before Maurice held up a paw to stop him.

"Just, please, go help clean up. Please." Maurice said with finality. Alex and his friends got the hint.

Then the only ones left were Maurice and Mort. There were no words, just two friends looking at each other with matching misty eyes before embracing.


	2. Chapter 2

King Julien walked alone through the jungle. It was a clear night, a canopy of stars blanketing the sky and the moonlight streaming through the trees, giving his gray fur a silver shine. Besides the occasional hum of insects or call of a bird, it was quiet as well. Peaceful.

Inside the king's mind, it was anything but.

He missed Clover. He missed her enthusiasm, how she put a thousand and ten percent into everything. He missed her creativeness, whether it was coming up with elaborate traps or the characters she brought to life with her writing. He missed the way her brilliant green eyes sparkled when she got an especially out there idea. He missed her laugh, her crazy, wild, wonderful laugh. He missed having her around and there was a part of him that wanted her back oh so bad but not in the way his subjects wanted. Not dragging her away from the man she loved and forcing her to protect a bunch of lemurs who thought she was some kind of monster.

Which was totally untrue. What was true was that she had believed along with everyone else that they would all be fine, that Mary Ann would keep them safe from her fellow fossa, that the lemurs would be able to protect themselves.

How could they have been so foolish? King Julien and his subjects tried to stop the band of fossa who had rebelled against Mary Ann themselves but the net they made to trap the predators was easily broken out of and Mary Ann was the one who had ended up chasing her kind away that day. Why had the lemurs treated it as proof that they were capable of defending themselves when that clearly wasn't the case? If anything, it showed how incapable they were, how helpless they were without someone else to protect them. Like they were during the wedding reception attack.

King Julien and his subjects needed someone else to fight for them but the New York freaks didn't want to keep that job permanently. They wanted to go home.

Julien knew that he could keep them stranded on Madagascar for the rest of their lives if he really wanted to. Forbidding Timo from ever helping them build a boat or plane or whatever off the island. Order his subjects to stop any escape attempts. Locking the freaks away as prisoners, only being let out during fossa attacks. Yeah, that all sounded pretty messed up and he really didn't want to do that.

Except, he kinda was doing that. Not stopping escape plans and locking them away but forcing the freaks to protect the kingdom while withholding Timo's help, withholding a way back to their home. In a way, Julien already was holding them prisoner.

Ugh, he had only been trying to find a way so that everyone would be happy but instead, he had only made them all miserable. Except Clover and Sage, they were happy but everyone else sure wasn't. He had to find a way to fix things but how?

King Julien looked up to the heavens, to the trillions of the stars dotting the inky night sky. He clasped his paws together and said, "Frank, it's me, King Julien. Please, if you can hear me, I need your help real bad man. My peoples are in trouble and they're getting hurt and they're scared and none of my ideas are working and everyone wants me to force Clover to come back and protect them but that would hurt Clover but the peoples are already hurting and the New York freaks are hurting cause they just want to go home and it's all seriously messed up and I don't know how to fix it and...!" King Julien paused, took a shaky deep breath and continued with, "Please, I have to find a way to keep everyone safe. There must be a way without tearing Clover or the freaks from their homes. Please, please tell me there's a way."

The stars gave no answer.

Julien threw his hands in the air and shouted to the starry heavens above, "Come on, man! I really need your help on this one! Show me a sign!"

The stars remained silent as ever.

"Anything!"

No response.

"Please?" King Julien said pitifully, falling down to his knees. "Please?", covering his face with his paws. The stars showed no pity towards his desperate groveling.

"Julie..."

A sad voice suddenly came out of the night and Julien's hopes started to rise like a balloon. He quickly got up and looked about. "Frank, is that you? And why do you sound like Nurse Phantom?", the mysterious voice sounding exactly like that of his kingdom's nurse.

"Because I am Nurse Phantom."

Julien turned and saw that standing a short distance away was in fact, Nurse Phantom.

"Oh." Julien said, hopes deflating like a popped balloon. He didn't know why Nurse Phantom was out in the jungle at that time of night nor was he in the mood to care.

"Are you okay?" Nurse Phantom asked. He had been out for a breather and had stumbled upon King Julien calling for Frank's help.

King Julien tried to save face. Keyword try.

"What, me? I'm fine. I know everything will work out just fine. It always does. But the peoples…. they're worried. They can't sleep at night wondering if we're all going to die because they're afraid the New York freaks will get tried of waiting and find their own way home and leave us before we can find a way to protect ourselves without them because everything we've tried so far has failed horribly because we don't know anything about security because Clover always took care of that but now she's gone and and…." Julien's escalating panicky tone slowed down, heart aching as he spoke. "...And happily married to Sage and everyone wants me to make her leave him and come back here to protect us but I can't that, I just can't! Clover loves Sage and it would break her heart to leave him. She'd come back to us but she would be forever sad missing Sage and she doesn't deserve that. It wouldn't be right. It...it wouldn't be fair."

Julien paused for a moment, then continued. "Anyways, I've asked for some godly wisdom from Frank and he's taking his sweet time to respond!" Julien shouted and shook his fist towards the heavens.

Pause.

And in that pause, Nurse Phantom's ears picked up on something. Breathing. Deep, rumbling breathing.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you, Frank!" Julien kept yelling.

The breathing became heavier in Nurse Phantom's eardrums.

"Julie..."

Closer.

"Come on, man! It's me, KJ!"

Closer still.

"Julie..." Nurse Phantom repeated with more urgency and volume.

"Why won't you answer me!?"

"Julien!"

"Wha…?" Julien started to ask before Nurse Phantom covered his mouth with his paw. Julien removed it, "What th.."

Nurse Phantom once again silenced him, "Be quiet!"

Once again, Julien removed his paw, "Why?"

"Shush!" Nurse Phantom placed a finger on Julien's mouth, leaned an ear towards the sound and whispered. "Do you hear that?"

Now that he mentioned it, Julien could hear something. It sounded like growling. Close by growling. Then the growling stopped.

Then in a flash, Nurse Phantom dragged Julien to the side as a blur of fur leaped unto the spot where they just were.

The fossa turned and saw the lemurs. It looked at them, they looked at it, and for a few seconds they engaged in an age old staring contest between predator and prey. And then the lemurs proceeded to scream and run away with the fossa following close behind them.

"Okay, forget the sign! Just let us live!" King Julien shouted as they raced for their lives, practically feeling the fossa's jaws snapping at their heels, it's hot breath coursing down their backs.

"Clover, help!" Julien called out but knew she wouldn't coming to their rescue. Why? Why did she have to leave? The kingdom needed her. Julien needed her.

Julien felt his chest tighten, his ribcage closing in on his heart like a cage, which thrashed about trying to break free like a frightened bird. His leg muscles screamed, begging for rest that he knew would spell his end, the energy quickly draining out with each stride. The fossa's snarls roaring ever louder in his eardrums.

King Julien and Nurse Phantom couldn't keep running for much longer before they'd surely become the fossa's next meal.

"It's gonna take a miracle to save us!" King Julien thought to himself.

Suddenly, something slithered out of the darkness and appeared before the two lemurs and fossa, stopping them all in their tracks.

Tall and lean, wide hood adorning head, yellow and red eyes glowing like a blazing fire, stethoscope shining in the moonlight.

"Get behind me." Dr. S said, usual eccentrics nowhere to be found in his tone, a determined scowl set across his face. He didn't have to tell Julien and Nurse Phantom twice. They hurried right behind his large, coiled body, peeking slightly around it.

Meanwhile, Dr. S and the fossa didn't take their eyes off each other. The giant snake let out a hiss, the fossa responded with a snarl, two pairs of jaws pulled back to reveal rows of yellowed fangs. Dark pupils contracted to thin slits as red and green eyes reflected off one another. The fossa crouched, Dr. S coiled his body tighter. The fossa wiggled it's rump, Dr. S wiggled his body. The fossa pounced, Dr. S lunged. Time seemed to slow, the two lemurs watching as both predators made their way forward, each with clear goal in mind but only one would be achieved that night.

The fossa aimed for Dr. S's head but a second too late realized that Dr. S had thought of the same thing, for a split second finding it's self staring down the snake's throat, head surrounded by the mad doctor's mouth.

Chomp

Crunch

The fossa's body spasmed, went stiff, then went limp, dangling from Dr. S's mouth for a few moments before being dropped down to the ground. Then the snake doctor turned to his assistant and king and said,

"Are you two alright?", The wild, primal look in his eyes replaced with concern.

"Ye-yeah, we're fine, thanks to you. You-you saved our lives, Dr. S." was Nurse Phantom's stunned response as he looked wide eyed at his friend, still trembling from the encounter.

"Of course, I couldn't let that fossa eat you, now could I?"

"Well, thank you, from both of us. Right Julie? Julie?" Nurse Phantom looked over to King Julien, who was staring at the now dead fossa. Then he started to walk towards it.

"Mr. King Julien?" Dr. S asked, confused.

Julien kept walking, almost as if in a trance, until he was standing right before the freshly made corpse.

Blood leaked out from Dr. S's bite marks, caking it's head and pooling onto the jungle floor. It's mouth mid snarl, eyes now looking more like cloudy green glass marbles instead of the eyes that had held since intense hunger but a few minutes ago, staring wide right back at King Julien. The king himself couldn't pry his own eyes away from the body of the once mighty predator.

"Julien?" Nurse Phantom asked in growing concern.

"You killed it." Julien said stunned, turning to doctor and nurse.

"I'm...surprised myself. I've never killed a fossa before." Dr. S had killed many creatures throughout his life of course, being both a giant carnivorous cobra and doctor who loved to do unethical experiments out a cave but fossa had never been on his prey and patient lists. Also, the circumstances surrounding it all was a whole new experience for him, leaving the snake doctor quite taken aback himself.

"You killed this one. You protected us, you saved our lives, you...you..." As he gazed upon Dr. S, the moonlight shone off his brown and white scales to where they almost seemed to glow. Julien could have sworn that he also heard almost angelic music carried on the wind. Then an idea started to form in his brain. "You could do it again."

"What?" Dr. S was confused.

"You could kill more fossa. You could protect not just me and Nurse Phantom but everybody else as well." King Julien's spirits were soaring ever higher.

"What?" Nurse Phantom thought that where he thought this was going couldn't possibly be true. It was crazy even by King Julien's standards.

"I asked Frank for a sign and he's given me one. It's you, Dr. S! You're the answer! You can take Clover's place protecting the kingdom!"

"What!?" Dr. S and Nurse Phantom shouted together in shock.

"King Julien, I already have a job as the kingdom's doctor, remember?" Dr. S pointed out.

"Oh…." Julien's face fell and Dr. S thought that would be the end on that matter. He was wrong, for Julien perked back up and went on to say,

"_B__ut_ you don't see patients all the time, right? And you don't have to do _everything_ Clover used to do. Following me around all the time, you don't have to do that. That should free up loads of time. You just have to be big and-and scary and maybe kill a fossa or two when they come attacking. And you'll still have time to our doctor."

"But...but our _CAVE!" _Cue the random thunder and lighting magically appearing for two seconds before the night was once again clear and Dr. S continued, "is a ways away from the village. Too far to hear anybody call for help or to make it in time to do any good."

"...Then...then you won't live in the cave anymore! We can move you two and the hospital right in the middle of everything. So you'll be right there to hear us screaming for help and come to our rescue just like that." Julien snapped his fingers.

"But...but Mr. Julien, I...saving you and Nurse Phantom, I've never done anything like that before..." Dr. S killed to live, he killed for fun, he had never killed protecting another before that night. It was a new experience with new feelings that he couldn't even begin to describe.

"You did tonight and you could do it again. I know you can." King Julien kept at it, toning down the enthusiasm but not the determination.

"Maybe...maybe we could give it a try." Nurse Phantom spoke up, looking expectantly at his scaly friend.

"Nurse Phantom..." Dr. S couldn't believe what his friend was saying.

"Just give the arrangement a chance. A trial run if you will and if it doesn't work out, then we can always go back to the cave."

"Yes, yes of course. If it doesn't work out, you two can go back and live out your creepy lives in your creepy cave. But we won't know if we don't try, so what do you say?" Julien asked, he and Nurse Phantom looking expectantly at Dr. S. For a few moments, it was all Dr. S could do but look back and forward between each set of pleading eyes, Julien's were wide and eager while Nurse Phantom's were more subdued and it was they that had the more powerful pull, the snake doctor lingering longer on them.

Dr. S heaved a defeated sigh. "Fine, I guess we can give it a shot." This got a smile out of both lemurs.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Julien shouted, pumping his fists and jumping for joy. He hugged Dr. S as he said, "Thank you! You won't regret this, I promise you won't!"

"We'll see." was Dr. S's response, not sharing the enthusiasm.

"Come on, let's go and tell everybody right now!" Julien said, waving his arm and practically skipping towards the kingdom, with Dr. S and Nurse Phantom following behind at a slower pace.

….

"Great, what hair brained scheme has he cooked up now?" Hector complained to the lemur closest to him.

He along with most of the kingdom were gathered around the high rock waiting for King Julien to make an announcement. Standing on the rock along with the king was Maurice with Dr. S and Nurse Phantom standing below them at the rock's base. When Maurice had asked Julien what was going on, his friend had only told him with glee to wait and see.

"What are you up to now?" Maurice thought to himself, both nervous and disappointed. After the latest disastrous plan and accusations thrown, he had hoped King Julien would take time for quiet reflection, not jump right back into yet another crazy scheme. Especially not one involving Dr. S. Maurice shuddered at the memory of the last time his majesty had called upon the mad doctor's help. "Please don't let it be a Franken_Clover_."

"My peoples!" King Julien made himself heard and the crowd settled down, interests peaked. Not just by the surprise appearance of their reclusive doctor and nurse team but also by the king's demeanor as well. King Julien seemed to be in much better spirits then he was a few hours before, looking to be almost dancing in place he was so excited to tell them all...something. "I have the most super fantastic news!"

"It couldn't have waited until morning, man? I gotta go to work early." Butterfish told him.

"Trust me, this is gonna be worth it. Tonight, a miracle happened! A fossa attacked me and Nurse Phantom and was about ready to eat us when who should come along but this big beautiful snake." Julien spread out his hands at Dr. S, "Who sprang in, got between us and the fossa and then, bam! Killed it!" Julien made a motion with his arm and paw to imitate Dr. S, grabbing his other paw to demonstrate the killing blow. Then he threw his paws in the air. "Saving our lives!"

"Wait, _Dr. S_? _Our_ _Dr. S_, _saved_ your lives?" Maurice asked incredulously.

"I know, crazy, right? But it's true and that's why we're here!" Julien once again faced the crowd. "For the past few weeks, we've been searching for a way to keep ourselves safe without Clover, without the New York Giants. Tonight, Frank showed me a way in the form of a sign. That sign was Dr. S saving mine and Nurse Phantom's lives. Dr. S will protect the kingdom!"

.

.

.

Almost all eyes stared up at King Julien. A distant bird call was the lone sound ringing in that clearing as animals stood silently dumbfounded, trying to process the lemur king's words. Meanwhile, Dr. S and Nurse Phantom looked at each other, each wearing a worried expression.

"Snap! Everyone must be so blown away by this ingenious plan, it's left them speechless!" King Julien thought to himself.

Out loud he said, "You heard me right, peoples. Our troubles are over! Dr. S will protect us from the fossa and the New York Freaks can finally go home!" He looked over to the back of the crowd, where the New Yorker's expressions matched everyone else's. Even in their short amount of time staying in the lemur kingdom, they had heard plenty about the eccentric doctor.

King Julien continued to be met with silence. Dr. S and Nurse Phantom once again looked each other's way, each saying silently to the other that they had a bad feeling about where this was going. Meanwhile, King Julien was starting to get a little uncomfortable.

"Uh, hello? We're saved, people! This is great news, come on!" He declared, desperate for someone, anyone to answer him.

It was Hector who finally answered. "Great news? Great news? This isn't great news, This. Is. Madness!"

Well, that got the ball rolling, the once quiet clearing was now a buzz with clamor, a flurry of conversation as each voice wanted to say their piece.

"It's bad enough that he gets to mess with our bodies, now you wanna give him more power!?" was Pancho's comment.

"There's no way, not no how I'm letting that _demon_ guard my _Todd_!" Tammy held her son close.

"It's finally happened. The pressure's finally made him crack!" Ted deduced.

"He's gone mad!" Horst declared.

"The king's gone crazy and we're all gonna die!" Willie cried, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Your majesty, just what the hell are you thinking!?" Maurice demanded, anger and disappointment and confusion all mixed and muddled all together.

"I'm thinking that EVERYONE NEEDS TO CALM THE FREAK DOWN!" King Julien screamed over the crowd.

"Calm down?" Hector shouted back. "Calm down!? When you want us to trust _that guy_ with our lives?", pointing out Dr. S, who looked very much lost. "Nope, no way, Not doing that!"

"But why?" Julien whined.

"Why? Oh, I don't know, maybe because this is _Dr. S_ we're talking about here! You know, the guy who sucks at the job he already has?"

"Like diagnosing a lemur with Mad Horse Disease." Maurice grumbled, remembering the time that King Julien thought that he was dying thanks to the doctor's bogus diagnose and all the trouble that had caused.

"Maurice!" King Julien turned on him.

"Or trying to cut your head off and sew it unto a shark's body? Cause he tried that with me once." Horst volunteered.

"Horst!"

"Not to mention the unholy experiments! Don't think we don't know about those!" Tammy said, "Especially the undead ones!"

"Hey, Hans was my idea!" Julien pointed out, remembering when he wanted the star athlete lemur brought back to life to compete in the jungle games against his uncle.

"And the others? Were they _all_ your idea as well?" Tammy pressed on.

"Uh...no. Okay, yes, Dr. S has done some….questionable stuff but come on, haven't we all? _Pancho_?"

Heads turned to Pancho. "Oh sure, single me out, why don't ya?" He said with great offense.

"This isn't about the messed up junk Pancho has done." Hector continued, earning him an offended "Hey!" from Pancho. "It's the fact that Dr. S treats the job he already has like a game! You really expect him to protect all of us and take it seriously?"

"He was pretty serious tonight." Julien crossed his arms, thinking back to the look in the snake doctor's face as he told himself and Nurse Phantom to get behind him. That almost familiar fire blazing within his eyes.

"Fine, he was a hero tonight but what about tomorrow and beyond?" Hector looked right at Dr. S. "Are you sure you're up to the task?"

"Uh..." Dr. S looked around at all the expectant eyes boring down on his person, including those of King Julien and Nurse Phantom.

"Uh...I'm only here because King Julien asked me! And it was only for a trial run but if no one wants me then...then maybe it'd be better to call it off?" Dr. S looked expectantly towards King Julien.

"No way! You promised you'd give this a chance! You can't just bail!" King Julien said, wounded. Nurse Phantom too gave the snake doctor a wounded look. Dr. S was trying to find the right words when Hector said,

"See, even _he_ agrees this is a bad idea! If we go through with this, it's just gonna end up like all the other cockamamie schemes we've tried to replace Clover with! Well, riddle me this, do we really need to replace her or maybe our king just needs to do his duty and tell our security guard to come back where she belongs?"

"She belongs with Sage!" Julien shoot back.

"No, she belongs with us!"

"Sage!"

"Us!"

"Sage!"

"Us!"

"Sage!"

"Us!"

"Hold it!" Pancho's voice rang out. When all eyes were on him, he continued. "Mind if I cut in? King Julien, KJ, you _really _wanna give Dr. S a chance at guarding the kingdom, right?"

"Uh, duh, that's the whole reason why we're here."

"And we all want the schemes to stop and the kingdom to be safe, correct?" Pancho said to the crowd.

"Where are you going with this, Pancho?" Hector asked impatiently.

"What I'm trying to say is, I think there's a simple solution to this dispute. I say, let's give Dr. S a chance to prove himself." He said, the wheels in his head turning.

"Really?" Was King Julien's surprised and happy response.

"What?" Was Hector's.

"Let me finish." Pancho quickly said and looked to Hector. "_If_ Dr. S succeeds in protecting us and continues to do a good job, then I say we trust him." Then he looked up at King Julien. "_But_ if he fails, then I say no more. No more robots. No more walls. No more schemes to try and replace Clover, period. King Julien admits that we need the _real _Clover back and tells her as such." Now Pancho looked back and forth at each of them. "Now, does that sound fair to both of yas?"

"It sure does!" King Julien said enthusiastically, with a shocked Maurice beside him saying, "What!?"

"You best be ready to eat some humble pie, cause Dr. S is bout to blow you all away with all his fossa fighting skills!" Julien punched the air with both fists to illustrate.

Maurice grabbed Julien and leaned into his ear. "King Julien, are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely, Momo. We got this."

"But if Dr. S fails then..."

"He won't fail!"

"But Clover..."

"We're doing this!" King Julien proclaimed for all to hear.

Maurice heaved a defeated sigh. The king had made up his mind and there was no going back.

Hector let out a groan. "...Fine but don't you _dare_ go back on this."

"Hector, I promise, you have my word." King Julien put a hand to his heart.

"….Nope, I need more then that."

"What, you want it in writing?"

He wanted it in writing.

And so a contract was written up, which read.

_We as a kingdom do hereby swear that as long as Dr. S is successful in guarding the kingdom, we will put our faith in him and not ask Clover to return to her old job as Captain of The Ringtail Guard._

_I, King Julien do hereby swear that if Dr. S is unable to preform his duties guarding the kingdom, then I must demand Clover return to her old job as Captain of The Ringtail Guard._

With King Julien signing for himself, Hector signing for the rest of the kingdom, and the rest of the kingdom plus the New Yorkers as witnesses.

"King Julien, you know that everyone has only agreed to this plan because they expect Dr. S to fail, right?" Maurice asked Julien afterwards on their way back to their respective homes. "That's got to be why Pancho thought of the deal in the first place. He along with everyone is counting on Dr. S to fail."

"Oh, I know that, Momo. Which is why it's gonna be so awesome seeing the look on Hector's hating old man face when he's proven wrong." King Julien rubbed his hands together and smiled mischievously as the image of a wide eyed, so taken aback he wouldn't be able to speak Hector played out in the king's mind.

"But what if he's right?"

"He's wrong! Dr. S _will _protect us!"

"But what if he can't?" Maurice sighed. "Look, I admit that every once in a while, Dr. S can have his moments of being almost a decent doctor but those are just moments. And it's not like I'm ungrateful that he protected you and Nurse Phantom, I am but, you have to realize that it may have been one of his rare moments. It doesn't mean that he's suddenly capable of protecting the entire kingdom all the time. You need to prepare yourself for the possibly that he might not be up for the task and if that happens, then….then you're gonna have to ask Clover to come back."

King Julien didn't say anything at first, silently malling over his friend's words. Slowly and surely, Maurice could see the confidence begin to crumble.

"But… Frank, I...asked for a sign and I swear, Dr. S seemed to be glowing and…." Julien tried to reassure himself.

"Maybe, you believed it was Frank talking to you because you wanted to believe." Maurice said gently.

"I believe Maurice is right, your majesty." Masikura said, suddenly manifesting beside King Julien, causing him to jump up in alarm and let out a short yelp.

"Masikura, how long have you...and come on, not you too?" Julien asked her.

"Yes, I have to agree with Maurice on this matter."

"But, you're always going on about the gods and prophecies and _the_ _future_ and all that!" King Julien argued, trying to imitate the chameleon's usual manner of saying future.

"Yes but that doesn't mean I can't be realistic, especially when you are trusting your subject's safety with a snake who loves to preform autopsies on _living_ _lemurs_!"

"Tried that with me once!" Everyone turned to see Willie nearby.

"Stay out of this Willie!" Julien yelled.

"Fine, okay, you don't have to yell, I know where I'm not wanted." Willie said offended, walking away.

Masikura continued, "As I was saying. Yes, I am all about the gods and signs but that doesn't mean I can't agree with Maurice, that maybe you just thought Frank was speaking to you because you wanted him to, because you don't want to have to force Clover to come back."

"But that's the thing, your majesty. You may have to." Maurice reiterated sadly.

More of the confidence crumbled and realization finally fully hit Julien like waves crashing against sand. Then he grabbed Maurice by the shoulders, shaking and screaming in his face, "Maurice, what did you let me do?!"

"What I...I tried to stop you but you wouldn't listen to me!"

"Well, you should have tried harder to stop me from betting Clover's happiness on our insane doctor!" King Julien let go of Maurice and started to pace around. "If Dr. S isn't able to protect everyone then...oh dear Frank, Clover's life will be ruined!"

"King Julien..."

"She's gonna hate me forever!"

"Not when she finds out what's happened! Not when she realizes how much everyone still needs her!

"So what, we're just supposed to ignore her feelings like they don't matter?"

"Of course they matter but so do those of the people! And what they're feeling is afraid. Afraid that they're all gonna die, that their king cares more about a bunch of animals that he just met and a...a..." Maurice really didn't want to finish Hector's words.

"A traitor who left them to die?" King Julien finished for him, hugging himself. Even though he didn't believe them himself, he still felt sick to his stomach repeating those words. That disgusting description thrown at one of the most magnificent lemurs he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. "Do you believe that too?"

"No! I know Clover didn't mean any harm, that she thought like the rest of us that Mary Ann would keep the other fossa away, that we could defend ourselves! Though I can't fathom why we thought so, Mary Ann was the one who saved the day against those rebels...why did we treat it like we were the ones who drove the fossa away?"

"I...I have no idea. Momo...how we could be so _stupid_!?"

"I don't know! Why didn't Clover train a replacement or follow up on Mary Ann?" Maurice threw back.

"So you do blame her?!" King Julien accused.

"Maybe I do! And Sage and you and me and everyone else! Why did Clover and Sage have to get married so quickly? Maybe, if we had all waited a little longer, maybe the fossa would have attacked when Clover was still around and we would have realized that no, Mary Ann _wasn't_ going to protect us, we _can't_ protect ourselves and that we _needed_ another plan. Then we could have taken the time to figure things out and when we made _sure_ the kingdom was safe, Clover and Sage _then_ could have gotten married and we wouldn't be in this mess!" Maurice had to stop his frantic and passionate rant to catch his breath, all while Julien and Masikura could only stare. "And you know what else? Maybe you're right about one thing. Maybe I didn't fight you much on the contract because Hector is right, the schemes need to stop!"

King Julien shook his head in shock and disgust. "I...I can't believe this. How could you...Clover is your friend, how could you stand by and let her suffer?!"

"You think I want this?!" Maurice shot back. "You think I want Clover to be torn from a life of love and happiness to be forced to serve lemurs who want nothing but pain and misery for her? I don't! I _wish_ there was another way but things have gone too far and animals have suffered for too long and this madness can't on any longer!"

"And I can't go on listening to this any longer!" was Julien's furious response before storming off.

Maurice watched him go, let out a cry of frustration, then went on home.

Masikura was left alone. She let out a tried sigh, and then she disappeared into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

King Julien didn't get much sleep that night. Nightmares involving his people and Clover and the New York freaks and the fossa plagued his mind and by the time dawn's light streamed unto his face, the lemur king was lying wide awake in bed, wondering when it all went wrong.

Tired of laying around with nothing but his troubled thoughts for company, Julien decided to get up and out and out of habit, made his way towards the royal throne room. When he climbed into the plane containing said throne room, he was greeted with the sight of about twenty or so lemurs spread throughout the passenger cabin, asleep in the seats.

"What the...what are you guys doing here?" A confused King Julien demanded, waking most of his subjects up (the exceptions being the more heavier sleepers like Tammy and Butterfish, who kept snoring away undisturbed).

After some moans and groans, one annoyed citizen asked an annoyed, "What?"

"I said, what are you guys doing here? And what's with all the suitcases?" Julien added, having by then noticed all the suitcases scattered about the cabin. Some were closed and tucked under the seats while others were wide open, revealing an assortment of recovered personal items within.

"You've been letting us stay here since our huts were destroyed, remember?" The same citizen pointed out irritably before yawning into her paw.

King Julien thought for a moment before yes, he did remember. The various kingdom security schemes had left many homes destroyed and many lemurs homeless. Those lucky enough to still have them offering their own homes as a place to stay, King Julien himself offering the royal plane as a temporary shelter with some citizens haven taken him up on that offer.

"Oh, right."

"Do we have to get up now?" Todd asked from the seat beside his still slumbering mother.

"No no, that's okay. I don't need to be here right now. Go back to sleep." Julien said to him.

"Oh, okay." Todd said, falling back into his makeshift bed, closing his eyes, and wrapping his small body around an adorable plush bunny.

King Julien got out and climbed back down to the village and as he walked through, the soft early lighting revealed evidence of the chaos that had befallen his kingdom as of late. Trees that were still lying across the ground this way and that and trees that still stood while baring scorch marks from the recent fires and deep cuts from razor sharp appendices of killer robots. There were huts that had been reduced to mounds of crushed and powdered rubble or charred skeletons that looked fatigue enough to be toppled over by the weight of a single butterfly while the few survivors stood out like life boats floating in a turbulent ocean of destruction. These were the things that stuck out most to the troubled ruler.

Timo's machines had done a lot of damage. Machines that he had built on King Julien's orders.

"King Julien!" King Julien heard a familiar, shrill voice calling out. He turned and saw Mort rushing over as fast as his small legs could carry him.

"Mort?"

"King Julien!" Mort grabbed Julien's ankles and started talking a mile a minute. "I'm so happy to see you! After Hector said those horrible things and you ran away and I couldn't find you, I went home to try and make something to cheer you up when a tree fell onto my stump, trapping me inside and it took me all night to get out and I could hear more yelling but I didn't know what was going on and I'm just so happy you're okay!"

"Get off me, Mort!" Julien kicked Mort smack into a tree, then crossed his arms. "I'm in no mood."

Once Mort was able to pry and shake himself off, he asked, "Was it Hector again? Is that what all the noise was last night?"

"...You really don't know what happened?"

"No, I told you, I was stuck. What did happen?"

So Julien filled Mort in on the events he had missed. Once he was finished, Julien looked expectantly at Mort, wondering if 'Frank told me that Dr. S should take Clover's place protecting the kingdom' would be deemed too crazy even by the weird little toady's standards.

"Oh, what do they know? If you believe it was Frank, if you believe in Dr. S, then I do too!" Mort said with great conviction.

"Really?" King Julien with timid hopefulness.

"Really." Was Mort's firm answer.

"I...thank you Mort." Julien lifted Mort off the ground and gave the smaller lemur a hug. "I'm glad somebody has some faith!" He shouted into the open air.

Then King Julien thought of something. Recounting everything to Mort had reminded him that Nurse Phantom had been the first to agree with Julien on the plan and had helped him convince Dr. S into giving it a chance.

"Come on, Mort. Let's pay Nurse Phantom and Dr. S a visit." Julien said, putting his friend down unto the ground and walking off, with Mort following on his heels.

The old medical hut hadn't been used much since the establishment of Club Moist Hospital but since Clover had moved and homes were being destroyed faster then they were being rebuild and lemurs were getting injured left and right, it had become a shelter / second hospital. That morning, patients were lying in all the beds already there and there were more that had been wheeled in on beds from the official hospital. There were also those not injured that were sleeping on the ground. All of this made living conditions quite crowded indeed.

"Snap, these guys are packed like…like something packed very tight." King Julien whispered to Mort, so as not to disturb anyone. One lemur still heard them though.

Nurse Phantom poked his head out from the other side of the hut. All three lemurs locked eyes, he put a finger to his lips, then motioned with his arm to follow him, which Julien and Mort did. When they all got a good distance away is when Nurse Phantom spoke.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We came to see you and Dr. S. Where is he?" King Julien asked while looking about for the snake doctor.

"Close by, trying to get some sleep." Was Nurse Phantom's answer.

"Oh, okay. Well, I can still to talk to you."

"What about?"

"About last night. When Dr. S was saving us from the fossa, you saw it too, didn't you? That look in his eyes, that fire, that intensity when he told us to get behind him, that…that..." Julien tried to think of the word.

"Determination as he shielded us?" Nurse Phantom offered, the image vivid in his mind.

"Exactly! So you did see it then." To which Nurse Phantom nodded. "Well, that's why I'm here. I need to know, is that why you helped me convince him to try protecting the kingdom?"

"Part of it, yes."

"What's the other part?" Julien was genuinely curious.

Nurse Phantom let out a sigh, his already hunched back slumping even farther, his lopsided face looking truly tired.

"Dr. S and I have seen a lot of patients lately and I mean a lot. Not just treating their wounds but hearing how they got said wounds too. From being burned in one of the fires or bones broken by a robot or almost crushed to death by a tree or something or other. And I've also heard a lot of fears too. Lemurs not sure how many more sunrises they'll get see or if their children will get to grow up or even if the kingdom will still be standing by the end of the month." Nurse Phantom shook his head at all the misery he had been witness to, then continuing to speak earnestly. "I know I'm not close with the rest of you anymore and I know Dr. S and I get carried away _a lot_ and I know I don't really show it but believe me, I do care about you guys. You all are my neighbors, this is my home and if there's a chance to protect it, to protect everyone, then why not go for it, no matter how crazy that method might be?"

"Wow, Nurse Phantom. I didn't know you cared so much." Mort said after a silent and stunned moment, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah." Julien was taken aback as well, then he remembered something else. "Wait, so why then didn't you say something last night? I could have really used the support, man!"

"Cause you think anyone would have listened _me_, the _mad_ doctor's assistant, whose there beside him helping with every unethical, every unholy experiment? I don't think so! But even then, I almost spoke up, I really did but then Dr. S..." Nurse Phantom recalled Dr. S trying to back out of the deal and the hurt he himself had felt. "Even Dr. S doesn't believe in Dr. S. After the meeting, he went on about how what happened with the fossa was a fluke, that we all just got lucky, that he could never do something like that all the time. And that got me thinking what if he's right? What if he can't do this? Then what? If not bringing Clover back, are you just gonna keep at it with the robots and other machines, hoping something will work before we all die?"

"We're not all gonna die!" King Julien protested.

"Lemurs already have died and more are going to die if something doesn't change! You need to put your people first! This madness needs to end, one way or the other!" Nurse Phantom argued back.

"….You sound like Maurice and Hector."

"Well maybe they're right and you know it!"

Julien started to say something, then stopped. Then he settled shoot a glare at Nurse Phantom for a few seconds with the other lemur glaring right back. Then Julien walked away, with Mort throwing a quick glare himself before following his king.

…

"Fossa!"

Along with the rumble of thunder, those in the medical hut heard the panicked cry followed by the chorus of terrified shouting coming from nearby. Which got the old familiar flight or fight reflexes kicking into high gear. Becca turned to Abner so they could start running for their lives together and then she saw the horrified expression on his face as he was looking down at his lap. She followed his gaze and saw his bandaged legs. Then husband and wife looked up and into each other's eyes and they knew. They knew that Abner wasn't going anywhere and neither were any of the other patients that were too weak and injured to run. That same horrible realization soon struck everyone else as well.

Then came rustling from some nearby brush and some swore they saw large round ears poking out on top.

The lemurs in the hospital gurneys could be wheeled out but that would still greatly slow down the ones pushing them. And then there were the lemurs in standard beds like Abner.

"Don't worry, hun. I'll...I'll carry you. Yeah." Becca said on the edge of panic, grabbing Abner and trying to lift him up, which was easier said then done, her husband being quite heavy in her arms.

"Becca, Becca stop! This ain't gonna work!" Abner tried to reason with her.

"Yes it will!" Becca managed to get him off the bed and started to walk with great effort but didn't get but a few steps before she sent them both falling forward to the floor.

"My legs!" Abner shouted, fresh stinging shocks of pain coursing through them.

"I'm so sorry! Let me try again." Becca said, scrambling to get off of him to get in a lifting position.

Abner grabbed Becca's arm and said to her, "Becca, listen to me. Your legs still work, use em. Run!"

"What?! No! I ain't leaving you!" Becca grabbed his arms and squeezed them tight.

"Ain't no point in us both staying here to die! Just go! Save yourself!" Abner was pleading.

"No!" Becca backed away from his touch and shook her head. "Clover dumped us for a brand new husband and big tough army, all King Julien cares about is her and a bunch of strangers who are only protecting us to get home, why I bet the sky gods themselves have decided they're sick and tired of us! Everyone whose supposed to care has abandoned us and I ain't doing the same to you!"

All around them, the injured were begging their loved ones to save themselves but no one budged. Even those like Hector and Nurse Phantom, who wouldn't be leaving any loved ones behind, didn't leave.

"Nurse Phantom, what are you still doing here?" One lemur in a full body cast asked him.

"Cause you're my patients and I swore to take care of you guys and I'm going to do just that. I'm not gonna abandon you all too." Seeing the surprised expression on his face, Nurse Phantom added, "What? I listen."

"...Hector, what about you?" The same lemur asked Hector.

Hector looked away as he answered. "What he said. About being abandoned. Where are Dr. S's tools?" He asked Nurse Phantom.

"What do you need them for?" Nurse Phantom asked, confused.

Hector shrugged. "If we're going down, might as well go down fighting."

Fat gray clouds covered the sky. Rain had begun to fall and splatter unto the earth. The sound of thunder mixed with the screams of terrified lemurs as they ran in all directions, lighting illuminating the desperation to live another day written clear on their faces.

King Julien ran among the chaos, calling out "Dr. S!" over and over again, hoping against hope for the snake doctor to show up and be a hero like he had before. He was answered with the cries of his subjects, the snarling of hungry fossa, roaring thunder, a flash of lighting, and drops of rain but the snake doctor was nowhere to be found. "We could really use your creepy killer snake self right about now!" Julien yelled.

The sound of someone blowing into a conch shell joined the chorus of chaos. It had been used during the past two weeks to summon the New Yorkers during fossa attacks. The New Yorkers, who were at the beach because King Julien had told them to keep their distance to see how Dr. S did solo. Which meant it would take some time before they got back.

Julien continued to run and search and call out until he saw something that made him stop dead in his tracks.

Lemurs that weren't running away, a group of them standing at one end of the medical hut. It looked like they were in fighting stances, holding medical tools in their paws, facing down a group of fossa that were coming out of the nearby brush and slowly making their way towards them.

What were his subjects thinking? Were they seriously going to try and fight the fossa? Surely they knew it was suicide to go up against the vicious predators, right? So why were they doing it?

Then Julien saw the lemurs still in their beds, looking on in horror with Abner slowly shaking his head and saying something that he couldn't make out. Wearing casts, some on one or both legs. An arm and a leg. A few wrapped up head to toe in bandages. Lemurs that looked like they couldn't walk or if even they could, only go at a hobble. They clearly couldn't run. Couldn't run for their lives.

And yet the ones who could, didn't. Lemurs like Becca, Hector, and Nurse Phantom, they were standing there, shielding their fellow lemurs with their own bodies and what little they had on their person. They were staying to fight in what they must have known would be to their last breaths.

"King Julien?" Someone called out in disbelief. Heads turned to see that there he was, their king, rushing over and coming to a stop in front of the defense line.

"You're here..." Hector said, stunned.

"I'm sorry! The freaks would have swooped in and saved you guys by now if I hadn't sent them away! I'm sorry for the robots! I'm sorry for the wall! I'm sorry for destroying your homes! I'm sorry for hurting you guys, in so many ways!" King Julien turned to look at the lemurs stuck in their beds and the lemurs right behind him, the terror and helplessness and courage and devotion all written across their faces. "You all matter so much to me and I'm sorry that I made you all feel like you didn't. I love you guys and I'm not leaving you."

Then Julien faced the fossa, who were taking their sweet time coming over. "Hey, you want to get to my peoples? You'll have to go through me first!", Holding his arms out in front of his subjects defensively.

"With pleasure." The fossa closest to him responded, grinning widely, showing razor sharp rows of fangs. The better to tear lemurs limb by limb with.

King Julien tried to reassure himself that his surviving subjects and Maurice would be okay without him, that they would find another ruler, better then him, one that they truly deserved. Maybe two rulers, Clover and Sage? They could adopt King Julien's peeps as their own and merge the two kingdoms into one. The thought of his peeps becoming neighbors with the mountain lemurs, befriending and having the much larger and stronger lemur's protection while ruled by two benevolent rulers, with good old Maurice as their newest royal advisor; it brought comfort to King Julien and also sorrow for the ones who wouldn't live to see it as he kept his arms spread out while facing the fossa and his fate.

"Hey!"

The nearest fossa was close enough to Julien that he could reach out and touch them when a familiar voice rose above the now pouring rain. Heads turned to see Dr. S dash over and stopping before the two opposing groups of creatures.

"Get away from them!" Dr. S proclaimed, rising up even farther, accompanied by thunder and lightning. His red eyes once again blazed like raging infernos as he stared down the fossa, who recovered from their shock and started prowling towards him.

The lemurs watched on in amazement and terror as Dr. S sprung towards the nearest fossa.

Chomp

Crunch

In a flash, Dr. S had his jaws clamped down around the head of the fossa, then lifted up the corpse of the unlucky creature and bit down once more with a bone shattering crunch, before letting it drop back down to the ground with a thud. The remaining fossa stood frozen for some moments, unable to take their eyes away from the sprawled out body of their fallen comrade. Then they looked up at Dr. S towering above them, jaw clenched in snarl, red eyes feral.

"Any one want to join them?" Dr. S challenged, flashing his now red fangs, a mixture of blood and rain water dribbling from his mouth.

The fossa stared at Dr. S and he stared back at them. This went for some seconds until one fossa let out a panic stricken shriek. The rest followed suit and all turned tail and bolted.

"Snake kill fossa! Retreat!" One female fossa with a scared face and missing ear called out as the group sprinted through the village.

The other fossa stopped in their tracks and soon saw Dr. S coming in hot, the body of one of their own limp in his jaws. The cat like carnivores watched in frozen horror as the giant snake paraded about, showing off his latest kill for fossa and lemur alike to see. That was enough to send all the remaining fossa bolting, their howls and whimpers heard until even after the last of them was well out of sight.

Once all the living fossa were gone, Dr. S dropped his dead one like a sack of potatoes and rushed back to the medical hut, several lemurs including Maurice and Mort hot on his heels. Once he got there, Dr. S found that the lemurs who weren't focused on loved ones were focused on him, looking at him almost as if they could hardly believe he was real, even Nurse Phantom staring in stupefied silence. Dr. S rushed over and grabbed Nurse Phantom and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank Frank you're okay! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner!" Dr. S apologized profusely as he squeezed his little buddy.

"Where were you!?" King Julien demeaned, getting over his shock and his body still trembling as he glared up at Dr. S. "We called out for you like a bunch of times! Didn't you hear all the _screaming!_?"

Dr. S bite his lip and then said, "I didn't hear you sooner because...I wasn't in the village." avoiding Julien's eyes as he spoke.

"What?"

"I was out hunting. I didn't think the fossa would come back so soon, I thought I had time to at least grab a quick snack but I see that I was wrong..."

"You bet you were wrong! You left?! I told you to stay in the village and you left!?" King Julien's amber eyes were blazing as he was moments from straggling Dr. S.

"You didn't have any meat pops to hold you over!?" Nurse Phantom was none too pleased either.

"Meat pops?" Maurice asked, the name sounding really gross.

"Frozen dead animals Dr. S saves up when he doesn't have time to hunt." Nurse Phantom explained.

"No! Believe me I would have but I couldn't, cause we're all out and I was afraid of getting too hungry but I still should have waited. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Dr. S hung his head in shame.

This reminded everyone present of a certain recent incident where another carnivore in their midst got too hungry.

Speaking of, Alex and company soon came charging in, battle ready but finding no enemies. It was explained to them what had happened in their absence and when that was said and done, it was a matter of what came next.

Should Dr. S take over as head of security and guard the kingdom or should King Julien demand of Clover to resume her old job? King Julien called for a meeting, right then and there at the medical hut so that even the lemurs who weren't mobile would be able to attend, wanting as many as possible to be there. Just about the entire kingdom was soon gathered around, anxious to hear what the future held.

First, everyone was brought to speed as to why Dr. S didn't come to to the rescue sooner. He had been hunting away from the village because he had barely been able to do so as of late because he and Nurse Phantom had been swarmed with patients injured in all the recent security system schemes. So for those past two weeks, Dr. S had been mostly living off his stock pile supply of 'meat pops' until they had run out. He had actually been out trying to restock when he had come across Nurse Phantom, King Julien and the fossa, then came the plan and moving patients and he had ended up falling asleep without catching anything that night. He hadn't wanted to be starving to the point of eating Nurse Phantom and/or a patient or two or three, so he had gone out to grab a quick bite, thinking the fossa wouldn't come back for another attack so soon.

"He's usually good about feeding himself but like he said, it's been _crazy_ _busy_ these past weeks." Nurse Phantom testified. "I didn't even notice we were out.", looking remorsefully towards Dr. S for that last part.

"You've been focused on so much lately and you hardly check that fridge anyways." Dr. S pointed out, trying to reassure him.

"Still, it was bad timing and I mean _really_ _bad_ _timing_ that could have gotten lemurs killed." King Julien said sternly, causing Dr. S to once again hang his head in shame. Then Julien sighed and his tone softened. "But, you were making sure _you_ weren't the one that killed us. I think it goes without saying that we all know about carnivores going crazy with hunger."

Of course everyone knew that he was referring to the now infamous 'bite on the butt' incident, even those who hadn't witnessed it themselves having been told plenty about it. Poor Alex hid his face behind his paws at the mention, knowing that he was never going to live that down. Julien saw a look that he couldn't read pass over Dr. S's face but before he could ask about it, Hector cleared his throat and spoke.

"He was still able to protect us and we agreed that if he did, we'd trust him." Hector took a deep breath. "I say we hold our end of the deal." On the one hand, Dr. S had been able to save his and other's lives and the meat pops thing showed a surprisingly responsible side to the eccentric doctor but then again, this was still Dr. S, who was more mad scientist then doctor who was quite irresponsible when it came to treating patients. This made Hector's feelings about the whole situation mixed to say the least but a deal was a deal and he was willing to see if Dr. S would continue to defy his expectations.

If others agreed to it too that is.

"Are you really okay with that, though? Are any of you?" King Julien looked out nervously at his subjects. "I mean, this is your lives we're talking about here. If you guys don't feel safe with Dr. S guarding the kingdom, I won't force it on you. Or force Dr. S to take the job." He looked over at Dr. S, "How _do_ you feel about taking the job?"

It took a few seconds for Dr. S to get over the shock of Julien yielding to his and other's desires on the subject now, then he was able to respond with, "If the kingdom will have me, then I'll do it." Dr. S looked out to the crowd.

"Are you sure?" King Julien asked, wanting Dr. S to take the job of his own accord, not because he felt pressured to do so.

"You wanna know the truth? This whole idea is insane and I mean _insane_ even by _my_ standards but after what just happened..." Dr. S looked over at Nurse Phantom and shuddered at the thought of what might have been if he hadn't arrived when he did. "I feel that I should give this crazy idea a chance, so I am and I will, if everyone's willing to give me that chance that is." He looked nervously out at the crowd.

"_We're_ willing to give you a chance." Becca said, nodding to Abner, who nodded in agreement. "_You_ saved our lives, _you_ didn't leave us to die, unlike _some __people_." King Julien knew full well who she was talking about and was just about to argue when Maurice beat him to the punch, snapping back with,

"Clover didn't leave us to die! She thought we would be fine, we all did! We thought that we were safe and sound, free to focus on the wedding instead. We thought about the food and flowers and music and guest list and bachelor and bachelorette parties and creepy robots to stall the wedding and even robot babies for Frank's sake! But did anyone think to check on Mary Ann? To see how she was doing after chasing away the fossa that wanted to go back to eating us? To see if she had that under control or not? Did anyone think to follow up on that? Anyone? Anyone at all?"

No. No one. King Julien racked his brains trying to recall if anything along those lines was mentioned but couldn't. Just as any and all thoughts about kingdom security had vanished from his mind after he and his subjects didn't really drive away the fossa.

"...That should have been Clover's job." Becca pointed out.

"Fine, yes, you're right! She should have done that but she didn't but I don't believe for a second it's because she wanted to hurt us! I believe that she was so caught up in being in love and getting married that it didn't cross her mind! Just like we were all caught up in their love and wedding that it didn't cross any of ours's, even mine..." Maurice's face and ears drooped in shame.

"So what, are you suggesting that Clover and Sage's love made us all _stupid_?" Pancho asked, believing it to be the stupidest thing he had ever heard in his life.

"Uh...kinda yeah?" Maurice honestly couldn't find another way to put it.

"Well I suggest that you're making excuses for Clover not giving a damn about us!" Becca argued in outrage.

"Fine! Go ahead and think that way! If you think that Clover is such a monster, then maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea for her to guard the kingdom after all! Maybe we would be better off with Dr. S!" Maurice shouted back.

"Maurice, what are you saying?" King Julien couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Maurice really going to say that he...

"I'm saying that maybe we should give Dr. S a chance."

...He wanted to give the Dr. S plan a chance.

"I...a-all in favor, raise your paw." King Julien meekly raised his own and watched in amazement as paws, hooves, hands, flippers, and tail all rose up as well, to where he couldn't find any that weren't. But just to be sure...

"Okay, anyone not cool with that?"

All appendices and tails down.

"Okay...okay we're doing this." Julien said, his eyes misty.

"Your majesty, are you crying?" Maurice asked, seeing the tears beginning to well up in his friend's eyes.

"No, just a raindrop, that's all." For the rain was still falling, though by then it had simmered to a gentle drizzle. King Julien rubbed his eyes trying to halt the water works but found that they just kept coming. Then Maurice closed the space between them and wrapped him in a hug and that was it. The tears then freely flowed, Julien grabbing on tightly to his friend and allowed himself to cry like a baby for all to see.

"We're alive, Momo. We're alive..." Julien sobbed into Maurice's shoulder, tears of relief and joy mixing with the rain soaking into his buddy's fur with Maurice returning the favor with his own happy tears.


	4. Chapter 4

Dr. S was finally able to have a decent meal, relishing the taste of the second fossa he had killed. Afterwards, he was found basking in a warm patch of sun, belly bugling, eyes squeezed shut, with the dopiest grin on his face. It was also there that he took a well deserved nap.

Over the following couple days, life was able to somewhat settle down for the lemur kingdom. Well, settle down as in there wasn't constant destruction and panic day in and day out. Dr. S and Nurse Phantom finished moving into the medical hut, which became the new official hospital. Citizens were slowly able to start rebuilding their homes without fear of the structures being destroyed immediately upon being finished, that having been the case for lemurs like Willie. And the New Yorkers were finally able to start collaboration with Timo in designing and building a way that would take them homeward bound. So things were still busy, just in a much more preferable way.

King Julien, Maurice, and Mort helped out in the construction efforts while simultaneously trying to find a way to change the Dr. S and Clover contract. All three racked their brains trying to come up with an alternative solution in case Dr. S failed to preform his new duties but they didn't have much luck. Everything they came up with posed a risk of endangering lemur's lives and putting the citizens of the kingdom through yet more pain. Also, none of the trio's ideas would be nearly as attractive to said citizens then an opportunity to punish Clover for all the pain she had helped cause.

One day, King Julien, Maurice, and Mort were all in the throne room, taking a break from helping the kingdom and trying to help Clover. Maurice was curled up in a seat rereading one of his books while King Julien was on his throne rereading one of the numerous books Mort had written about him while Mort himself was busy brushing the king's tail. Then the curtains separating first class and coach parted. Heads turned, Mort let out a sharp gasp, for standing before them was...

"Clover...?" King Julien hopped down from his seat, his breath taken away at the sight of Clover standing in the doorway. Clover, who looked just as surprised at the sight of her friends as they were at seeing her. She then let out a cry, rushing over and scooping Mort up in her arms. She then grabbed Maurice and Julien, pulling them all close in a tender embrace.

"Thank the gods, you boys are okay." Clover said, her voice raspy, overcome with relief. Then she added soft and low. "You're okay.", giving her friends a squeeze.

Her touch sent warmth spreading throughout King Julien's body and he melted into her embrace, letting out a disbelieving breath, overcome with this unexpected and wonderful turn of events. He wanted to say something, anything to his dear friend but found words evading him. "You came back..." He settled on, voice soft in thrilled disbelief. He would have gladly returned the hug if Clover didn't have his arms pinned against his sides, Maurice and Mort feeling the same way.

"Of course I came back." Clover pulled away, breaking apart the hug. "When I heard about what's been happening around here, I just had to."

"Wait, you know what's been going on around here?" Maurice asked.

Clover nodded. "I heard the fossa started attacking the kingdom again and you lot have been trying to stop them with robots and-and walls but everything keeps going horribly wrong and the kingdom has been plunged into constant chaos and destruction and everything keeps exploding and-and catching on fire and and…!" Clover was working herself into a frenzy.

"Whoa, whoa there!" King Julien held up his paws in a stopping motion. "Easy, it's okay. Yes, things were, I'm saying _were_...really bad for a while there but they're not anymore! We're alive, we're safe, everything's okay. We're okay." King Julien said gently, trying to ease Clover's mind.

"Really?" The panicky look in Clover's eyes began to fade, the fur on her back settling back down.

"Yeah, finally had a plan work and none too soon." Maurice said, shaking his head and inwardly shuddering at the memory of all the failed plans that came before Dr. S.

"So, what finally worked then? What's keeping you all safe?" Clover inquired.

"Uh..." Julien was hesitant to tell her about Dr. S, remembering the initial backlash most everyone had shown against the idea of the unorthodox doctor being in charge of protecting the entire kingdom. He had to choose his next words very carefully.

"Uh...that's an excellent question! Maurice, why don't you answer?" Julien nudged Maurice in the shoulder.

"_Oh no_, this is _you_r idea, you tell her." Maurice argued. He knew full well that Clover wasn't going to like Julien's choice for her replacement but it was Julien's bed that he made and he needed to lie in it.

"It's not my idea, it's Frank's!"

"What?" Clover's face scrunched up in confusion.

"You said yourself that Frank spoke to you so you could tell all of us! Well, I say that includes Clover!"

"Will someone just tell me what's going on here?" Clover demanded.

"Oh for the love of Pete, I'll tell her! It's..." Mort started to say before being interrupted by a loud screech piercing through the air. It sounded like it belonged to a large bird and that it was coming from right outside the plane.

"Ow!" A exclamation of pain followed right after, the voice sounding familiar to everyone present, all of them rushing to look out the windshield. Dr. S was up in the baobab tree, body coiled, lunging and snapping at a hawk, which was able to flap, hop and dodge away from his fangs. Dr. S meanwhile wasn't able to fully dodge the hawk, the large bird getting in quite a few good pecks on his head, causing the snake to yelp out in pain each time.

Snap.

Peck.

"Ow!"

Snap.

Peck.

"OW!"

"Oy, oy get away from her!" Clover shouted, leaping out the window, climbing unto the nose of the plane, leaping down unto the tree and rushing over to stand between them.

"Clover?" Dr. S stared wide eyed at her in shock.

"You get away from Shadow right now!" She demanded, standing protectively before the hawk, who was keeping an eye on Dr. S through narrowed amber eyes, dark grey feathers ruffled, body tensed and ready to strike again.

"Shadow?" Dr. S cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"The hawk! Her name is Shadow and I'm not going to let you try and eat her!" Clover explained.

"Eat her? I was making sure _she_ didn't eat King Julien!"

"Wait, what?" Now Clover was confused.

"Some people saw the hawk come up here and sent me to check it out, see if it either belonged to your kingdom or if it was a wild one that was trying to eat King Julien. So here I am." Dr. S explained.

"Wait, why would _you_ be sent to check that out?" From Dr. S's words to how reluctant Julien and Maurice just were, Clover was beginning to have a hunch of what was going on but thought that it couldn't possibly be true. It was too ridiculous, too insane even by King Julien standards, right?

"Wait, you don't know? No one's told her yet?" Dr. S looked over Clover's shoulder. Clover turned around and saw Julien, Maurice, and Mort had followed her out of the plane. Julien and Maurice weren't looking her in the eyes and it was Mort who took a step forward and said,

"No but I was about to. It's Dr. S, okay? Dr. S is your replacement, Clover." He thought it would be better to get it over and done with, ripping off the bandaid so to speak.

A flat "What?" was all Clover could respond with.

"Dr. S is protecting the kingdom. King Julien, me, Maurice, everybody, he's protecting us now." Mort reiterated.

"What?!" Clover shrieked, glaring over at King Julien.

"Now, now Clover, let me explain!" King Julien said, taking a step back and holding his hands out defensively, nervous by the scary angry look she was giving him.

"You better! Why, just...what in blazes gave you the idea to trust everyone's safety in the hands...tail...whatever of-of _him_!" Clover said, motioning her hands at Dr. S.

"It wasn't my idea to begin with..." King Julien started to say in his defense.

"Oh no you don't! You are _not_ going to try and pin this one on Maurice!"

"I'm not! It wasn't his idea either! It was Frank's!"

"...What?"

"Let me explain! I had thought that maybe a wall would stop the fossa. As you heard, it didn't stop the fossa. And when that failed, everybody was real upset and I was real upset and everything was really messed up. So I went out to clear my head and ended up praying to Frank, asking, _begging_ him for a solution on how to keep us all safe, to show me a sign." At the word begging, King Julien clasped his paws together and looked up to the sky like he had that fateful night for the rest of the sentence before looking back to Clover. "I than ran into Nurse Phantom and we ran into a fossa and all of us ran into Dr. S, who then saved me and Nurse Phantom from the fossa!"

"Wait, _he _saved your lives?" Clover asked incredulously, looking over at Dr. S, who shrugged.

"I still can't believe it myself." He said, still coming to terms with the fact that yes, he did that. Clover turned back to Julien.

"Yes, he did! Right after I just asked Frank for a sign on how to keep everyone safe, then Dr. S _saves_ me and Nurse Phantom? Coincidence, I think not! I truly believe that was the sign I was asking for, that it was Frank's way of telling me that Dr. S was meant to protect the kingdom!"

"So wait, let me get this straight. Dr. S, our Dr. S," Clover stretched her arm and palm out to indicate said snake doctor. "_Saved_ yours and Nurse Phantom's lives?" Her mind was having a very hard time wrapping itself around that fact.

"Yes, we would have died without him, Clover. He was a real hero." Julien looked over at Dr. S and gave him a small smile. Dr. S gave him a shy smile back. He had been a lot more humble about that fact then Julien would have thought but then again, that wasn't the only way the eccentric snake had defied expectations as of late.

Clover's mind was finally able to coil itself around that bizarre bit of information and she was able to get back on track. "...Fine, Dr. S managed to be _briefly_ competent enough to save you both but that doesn't mean you should trust him with everyone else's safely all the time!"

"Com-com-po-what?" Julien asked, not knowing that word.

"Competent. It means being capable of doing something. Like guarding the entire kingdom, which you think Dr. S can do all because of what you _believe_ was a sign from Frank!" Clover reiterated.

"It's not just that!...Anymore. The fossa attacked the village the next day and Dr. S saved mine and Nurse Phantom's lives _again_ along with a whole bunch of other people's! He was a hero, _again_ Clover and I believe he iscom-po-tent to do it again and again!"

"Y-you're not serious...he protected the village too?" Clover couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"He sure did." Mort said.

"I don't...I don't believe this." Clover slowly shook her head, the sheer insanity of all too much to take in. "You're telling me he actually managed to protect all of you?"

"I can hardly believe it myself and I saw Dr. S chase those fossa away with my own eyes." Maurice piped in. "Look, I get it, Clover. Dr. S isn't my idea of a hero either and he's definitely not the picture of responsibility but he did save us, saved King Julien and Nurse Phantom twice and as crazy as it sounds, I'm willing to wait and see if he can continue to surprise us. He's earned that much." At the last sentence, he looked over to Dr. S, who was taken aback by the praise.

"But what if it's all a fluke? What if he can't handle the job? What if he can't protect you? What are you gonna do then or have you even thought that far ahead?" Clover directed the last question towards King Julien, who once again couldn't meet her eyes.

"Uh..." Julien really didn't want to answer that.

"Pancho and Hector sure did." Dr. S did it for him.

"Pancho and Hector...what do you mean? _They_ thought of a back up plan?" Clover asked incredulously, looking back and forth between Dr. S and King Julien.

"...Yes." King Julien reluctantly responded.

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" Clover was afraid to know how much Pancho had contributed to said plan and what exactly it entailed and that's why she needed to know every last detail.

Julien mumbled something too low for Clover to hear.

"What?"

Again Julien's words were at too low a volume for Clover's ears to pick up.

"Speak up!" Clover demanded. 

"It's you, okay!? You're the back up plan!" King Julien was finally able to spit out.

"What?" Clover's face fell and her eyes went wide.

"I...Pancho proposed that if Dr. S can't protect the kingdom, then I'll have to make you come back to resume your old job and I agreed to it!" King Julien felt sick to his stomach.

"What!?" Clover grabbed King Julien's chest fur and pulled him close to her face.

"I signed a contract and everything and I'm so sorry Clover!"

"How could you could do that!?" Clover demanded, shaking Julien furiously before allowing him to speak.

"After the wall, Hector started saying that I didn't care about him or any of the peoples anymore and then he started demanding that I march on over to your kingdom and force you to come back here to protect us and then everybody was chanting 'Bring her back. Bring her back.'and they were hurt and-and angry and thought I didn't love them no more when I refused. And then when I first said that Dr. S would take your place, they _really_ didn't like that idea and made all kinds of arguments against it with some good points but I was so mad and desperate and not wanting to hurt anyone but also wanting to prove that I do love my peoples but I didn't want to listen to them and then Pancho proposed the plan and I agreed to it! I agreed cause I clung unto Dr. S protecting everyone so the people would stop getting hurt without hurting you but ignoring the fact that if Dr. S fails, then I'll have to hurt you, and it's all so wrong and I'm sorry, Clover!" The guilt wrapped around Julien's heart like vines covered in thorns, coiling tightly and piercing through, the blood pouring out in his remorseful words.

"Sorry doesn't even begin to excuse what you've done!" Clover started off hot then curiously got to her. "Also, how could everyone think you didn't care about them anymore?"

"Everything got so messed up because I was trying to come with something to protect us so the New York Freaks wouldn't have to but plan after plan failed and people kept getting hurt and they felt like I was putting the freaks before them and when I refused to make you come back, they thought I was putting you before them, that I cared more about the freaks and you, that I didn't love them, the peoples, anymore. They were hurt and angry and scared and honestly, I don't blame them one bit." Reflection upon the entire situation had made King Julien realize that his subjects had not been lashing out because they were 'haters', but because that they all had been deeply hurt by his actions. That even Hector was just looking out for the good of everyone, that despite what he may say otherwise, he truly did care about his fellow citizens.

"Wait, all those plans were so these 'New York Freaks' wouldn't have to protect you lot? So, they did protect you and what actually is a 'New York Freak' anyways?" Clover inquired, letting Julien go.

"What, you didn't hear about the New York Freaks?" King Julien asked. Clover had briefly heard about strange animals seen in King Julien's kingdom but had left to go aid said kingdom before getting many details. She shook her head and Julien went on to explain.

"Well, they're freaks from a faraway land called 'New York City' and one of them saved us from the fossa during that first attack and we offered them all a home here forever so they could protect us but they don't want to stay here forever. They want to go back to their real home. In fact, before trying to help them get home, they tried to go home and the only reason they didn't leave was because their boat ran out of fuel! Great for us lemurs, since that meant they would be staying but not so great for the freaks. And then Maurice and I figured that Timo could easily build the freaks a way back home and we didn't want to hide Timo from them and lie cause it would have been seriously messed up and wrong! Even if they did try to leave us high and wet."

"It's high and dry, your majesty." Maurice corrected him, then said to Clover. "But he is right about it being wrong."

"Wet, dry, whatever. Anyways, then I came up a plan so that the freaks could go home and the kingdom would still be safe. So the freaks agreed to protect us until Timo built something that could protect us instead. Unfortunately as you've heard, that plan didn't entirely go according to plan." King Julien rubbed the back of his neck in shame, guilt gnawing at him over all the pain he had caused his people.

"So wait, they tried to leave without leaving you all any kind of other protection and all the destruction and everyone's lives being put in danger has been because you've been trying to help them get home?!" Clover shrieked. "If you had just forbade Timo from ever helping them, then nothing bad would have happened and they would be protecting you all instead of having to worry if he can!" She spread out an arm pointed in Dr. S's direction, who was very much uncomfortable over being put on the spot and where the conversation had gone.

And he wasn't the only one on the latter. Well, I suppose highly disturbed would be more accurate.

"What the heck, Clover!?" King Julien rebuked. "That would have been wrong! Just sick and wrong and cruel!"

"It's what those freaks deserve after they tried to leave you all for dead!" Clover argued back. Julien took in a sharp gasp, that familiar phrase shaking him to the core. It took shook everyone else and they looked among themselves and at Clover, lost on how to say what needed to be said. "What? What!?" Clover demanded at their uncomfortable expressions.

It was Dr. S who told her while non too happy doing it, "That's what people have been saying about you."

"What?" Clover's sneering mouth was now hanging slightly open in confusion. Her livid green eyes simmered down and looked from face to face, waiting for more.

"That's another reason why the peoples were so gong ho about making you come back. They're convinced that...they believe you...that because you left without checking on Mary Ann and if she had the whole her own peoples rebelling thing under control and-and that you didn't train someone to take your place that…that you meant to..." Julien took a shaky deep breath. "That you meant to leave us all for dead." Even though he was repeating other's words, Julien still felt dirty saying that phrase, practically feeling bile building in his throat.

"Oh." Was Clover's response. Short. Stunned. It was all she could say as the weight of the words came crushing down upon her.

"_We_ know that's not true!" Julien pointed out himself, Maurice, and Mort. "We know you didn't mean to hurt anyone! That you thought like the rest of us that Mary Ann would keep the fossa away! And that you were so caught up in being in love and the wedding that you forgot all the other stuff! Like the rest of us forgot! I know kingdom security didn't cross my mind at all after Sage proposed!"

"Didn't cross my mind either!" Maurice piped in.

"It didn't even cross Maurice's mind, Clover, _Maurice_! Love made us all dumb, including you! Unfortunately, the peoples are not really buying that. So yeah, you're not very popular around here right now." Julien had hoped to lessen the emotional punch but knew that he had failed before he had finished talking.

Clover turned away, looking out over the jungle and hugging herself. "Oh." She responded in that same stunned fashion as realization came upon her like boulders down a mountain side, slamming into and surrounding her and crushing her under it's weight while it's razor sharp edges cut deep into her heart.

"Clover..." Julien reached out a paw in concern, her silence frightening him. He laid his paw on her shoulder as Maurice, Mort, and Shadow came over to stand by her side in concern as well, the hawk head butting Clover's other shoulder in affection. Dr. S stood back, feeling Clover wouldn't appreciate any attempts at comfort from him.

"Dr. S." Clover turning away from Julien and Shadow's touch to face the snake doctor, her expression now determined and her voice while still on the low side, now carried an air of command. "Shadow me on patrol."

"Huh?" Dr. S asked, very much confused.

"I don't supposed you've scouted the perimeter for possible threats, have you?" Clover asked, to which Dr. S shook his head.

"Then follow me around and see how it's done." She reiterated firmly.

"O-okay." Dr. S said, nervous and confused but feeling like questioning her at that moment wasn't the best idea. So when Clover began to climb down the tree, he obediently followed her.

Mort, Maurice, and Julien stared after them for a few moments before Mort turned to his friends and said, "Wait, what just happened?"

"Maurice, wha-what's Clover doing?" Julien asked, nervous.

"I don't know but I indeed to find out." Maurice said before starting his way down the tree with Julien and Mort close behind. They saw a growing number of lemurs gathered around it's base and as they neared the ground, they heard the murmurs.

"Is that..._Clover_?"

"What's _she_ doing here?"

"Why's Dr. S with her?"

"Hasn't she done enough?"

Clover had made it to the ground and walked at an even pace with her head held high while looking straight ahead, her determined face unresponsive to the growing number of death glares shoot at her. Her friends on the other hand, were very much visibly bothered. Lemurs were looking at her like they wished that looks alone could make her drop dead right then and there and she wasn't even giving them a second glance and that frightened them.

"Well, if it ain't miss high and mighty herself come to grace us with her presence." Becca said in bitterly sarcastic fashion, voice dripping in venom as she marched right up to Clover, who wavered as she was taken aback by the other lemur's forwardness. "Why you here?" Becca went on to say, pointing an accusing finger at Clover.

"I...I heard the kingdom was in trouble." Clover responded, her commanding tone wavering.

"It was but it ain't anymore. Dr. S saved us and is guarding the kingdom now." Becca looked over at Dr. S, who was very much uncomfortable being roped into the conversation on top of being surrounded by so many death glares, even though they weren't directed at him.

"Yes, I heard." Clover said.

"Then you also heard everything is fine now. So you can run along and report that back to your muscle meathead of a husband and big tough army." Becca said, poking Clover in the chest.

Clover's confidence was coming back, steadfast as she said, "One, my hawk needs to rest and two, I want to see Dr. S in action, access how he does protecting you lot."

"Oh, oh so _now_ you care about our safety? Is that it?" Becca's amber eyes were starting to flare up.

"Becca..." Maurice said to her in warning, anger bubbling.

"Stand down, Maurice! You too as well." Clover ordered Maurice, then King Julien and Mort. Then turned back to Becca. "I already know how you feel about me. How you all feel." Clover looked about at the growing crowd before turning back to Becca. "So go ahead and say it."

"Clover..." Julien couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Oh, I have plenty of things to say, you back stabbing..." Becca began to say before being interrupted.

"Great, what's going on n-ah!" Alex started to complain, he and his friends having just arrived on the scene, when Clover suddenly let out a "he-yaw!", kicking him square in the stomach. This sent Alex slamming down to the ground, flat on his back, where Clover then jumped unto his chest and proceeded to violently beat on him.

"Clover! Clover, stop!" Julien rushed over towards them.

"Get back your majesty! It's a giant fossa with...weird hair." Clover said, having a hold on Alex's mane with one hand as she repeatedly punched him in the face with another. Then she barked at Dr. S, "Don't just stand there, do something!"

"One, it seems you have this one covered and two, Alex isn't a fossa." Dr. S explained.

"What?" Clover said, delivering one more punch before taking a pause.

"It's true, I'm not a fossa! I apparently just look like one." Alex said to her, holding up his paws defensively.

"You kinda do." Mort piped in. Hector and Clover weren't the only ones who saw the resemblance.

"Yes, Alex _looks _like a fossa but he's _not_ a fossa! He's one of the New York Freaks, Clover." King Julien explained.

"One of the freaks?" Clover said as realization hit her. And then she hit Alex in the face again.

"Lady, what is wrong with you!? They just said I'm not a fossa!" Alex spread out an arm to point towards said individuals.

"That's for trying to leave my friends for dead!" Clover snapped as she violently shook him.

"What?" Alex said, confused and also dizzy.

"Wait, are you Clover?" Marty asked, stepped towards them. Clover stopped shaking Alex. "I thought I heard Julien call you Clover."

"Yes, I'm Clover." Clover answered.

"Wait, you're Clover? The same Clover who left everyone in the first place? And you're calling me out!?" Alex said in outrage.

"That doesn't change the fact that you and your friends were going to leave mine without anyone to protect them!" Clover argued.

"Oh, oh and look whose talking! Fine, yes, we tried to leave! We _thought_ we would be leaving everyone to their normal lives! How were we supposed to know about you leaving or Julien's psychopath uncle who forbid anything fun and loud and everyone surviving but not living? We didn't, okay? We_ thought_ no one would mind if we left but it turns out they did!" Alex pointed an accusing finger at the other lemurs. "They _did_ mind cause that meant they couldn't continue to use us!"

"Use you?" King Julien asked, confused. Alex turned on him and his subjects.

"Yes! From the very beginning, you've used us! You were only nice to me and my friends in the first place so I'd keep the fossa away! Then you tried to guilt trip us into staying here, make us choose a bunch of fuzz buckets that we only just met over over our home, our real one! And when it looked like we'd never see it again, you celebrated! Then you found a way that we could get back to New York and you dangled it just out of our reach so we'd have to continue to do your bidding, all for a chance that maybe you'd set us free from this hell hole!"

"Fine, you're right, we used you but don't you dare take it out on them!" King Julien argued, indicating his subjects. "It was _my_ idea to butter you guys up, _my_ idea for Timo to help you in exchange for protecting us! They went along with it so you guys could home without them, you know, dying! And that's the whole reason I came up with all those crazy plans in the first place, so you freaks could go home without my peeps dying!"

"And you know what? At least I can understand _your_ motivations! You guys were helpless, with nothing and no one to protect you because _someone _didn't do her job!" Alex glared at Clover, whose scowl wavered under his words. "Because she up and left you guys without making sure that one fossa would keep the other fossa away! Because she didn't test you guys to see if you could actually defend yourselves! Because she didn't teach you how to defend yourselves herself! Because she did _nothing_ to make sure you all didn't die without her!" Clover backed off Alex's chest, rage sweep away. Alex stood up, his blue gaze turned ice cold as he glared down at her.

"What I want to know is why? Why didn't you do any of that? From what I've heard, you're supposed to be this super paranoid and crazy prepared lady who would do anything to keep her friends safe, so why didn't you? Why didn't you do all you could to make sure they would be safe after you left? Me and my friends, we can at least plead ignorance." Alex spread out his arm to point out Marty, Melmen, and Gloria behind him. "What's your excuse?"

"Yeah, what's your excuse for stabbing us in the back!?" Becca demanded, marching over to stand at Clover's other side.

"That's enough!" King Julien marched over to stand by Clover, glaring back and forth between Alex and Becca. "You two back off right now!"

"Julien!" Clover's word started off hot then cooled into sorrow. "They're right."

"What?" Julien couldn't believe what he was hearing. Maurice prayed that she wouldn't go on to say what he feared she would.

"There is no excuse." Clover continued, briefly facing Alex before turning her attention to Becca and the rest of the crowd, speaking ruefully. "I was careless and thought only of myself. I did _nothing_ to prepare you all before I left, leaving you defenseless against the fossa. You're right. I left you all for dead."


	5. Chapter 5

A silence fell over all. Thick and suffocating and probably lasting less then a minute but feeling much, much longer. King Julien, Maurice, and Mort looked helplessly at Clover, Julien hoping against hope that it was all just a horrible dream that he would wake up from any moment.

Becca glared amber daggers straight at Clover, her razor sharp words slicing through the silence. "So, you admit it then? That you allowed the fossa to waltz right in and kill lemurs, almost kill all of us?" Becca spread out an arm to indicate the crowd behind her.

Clover looked right back into Becca's blazing eyes as she gave a firm, solemn, "Yes."

An avalanche of voices came tumbling forth and slamming in at all sides. Voices piling on top of each other, blending together into one ear splitting entity drilling through skulls and hearts. Julien, Maurice, and Mort gazed upon Clover in horror while she looked back at them helpless and somber.

"Get out." Becca started to say to Clover dangerously low and then she managed to shout above it all, "Get out! Haven't you done enough!? Get out! Leave us!", her blazing eyes looking ready to burn Clover to a crisp.

Clover winced back. Then set her face into a stern expression, turned around, yanked on Dr. S and ordered, "Come."

In his stunned state, he obediently followed her and they disappeared into the jungle, the clamor of the crowd and desperate cries of Clover's friends on their backs.

…

"Dr. S?"

"Yes?" Dr. S eagerly looked over at Clover. She hadn't said much since they had slipped away from everyone. It was just the two of them making their way through the jungle, Clover showing him how to do parameter checks. Well, more like Clover did the parameter checking with Dr. S following close behind, she giving the occasional comment but mostly going about the task in silence. Silence that had gotten very uncomfortable and all Dr. S wanted was for something to cut through the tension already.

"Do _you_ know what's happened with Mary Ann? Why she didn't keep the other fossa away?" Clover went on to ask.

"Bout as much as everyone else and that's not much. The fossa just showed up at your wedding reception and have kept coming ever since." He saw a pained look flash over Clover's face. Then it was gone, her voice level as she continued.

"And has Mary Ann been seen among them?"

"I haven't seen her and from what I've heard, nobody else has either. Not a trace since the day she chased away those other fossa."

"The same day Sage proposed." Clover said in a grim fashion and from the shocked expression on her face a second later, Dr. S guessed she hadn't meant to say that out loud. He gave her a puzzled look and she then quickly added, a little nervous like, "So uh, no one has any idea what happened to her then?"

"No but there are theories, everyone I know of agreeing that she was probably given an ultimatum by the other fossa. That she either break her promise to King Julien and allow the fossa to go back to hunting you lemurs or be over thrown and killed. Then there's that split, some thinking that she choose to betray you guys so she could remain queen while others think that she refused and was killed for it." Dr. S recapped the rumors he had heard swirling around the hospital. Then added his own opinion. "Personally, I think she's dead."

"You don't know that!" Clover turned on Dr. S, who leaned back away from her, startled. Her eyes were manic as she continued to say, "You said yourself there hasn't been a trace of her, right?! So she could very well be alive and well and is too ashamed and a coward to show herself! Admit it!" Once done with her rant, Clover started to pant, keeping her wild jungle green eyes on Dr. S, who stared back at her confused and also a little frightened.

"You're right, sh-she could be. I d-didn't say she couldn't, I was just repeating what other people said and g-giving my own theory. I didn't say it was the right one." Dr. S stuttered, keeping his distance.

Clover's face fell and her wild eyes simmered down. "Dr. S, I...I'm sorry. I just..." She looked away from him in shame and embarrassment.

Dr. S knew that he had touched a nerve and decided that no good would come from poking it more, so he didn't. "It's fine. Let's talk about something else. Anything else you want to know?"

Clover was glad for the change of subject and she did have a few things she wished to inquire about. "A few things, actually. One being, what's going to happen with your doctor job. Is the plan for you to keep doing that along with kingdom security or finding a replacement or what?"

"Oh no, I'm not gonna stop being a doctor. Nurse Phantom's going to help pick up the slack on that job. I just have two jobs now."

"And that brings me to another point. Where exactly are you and Nurse Phantom working now? You're not still in the cave, right? Cause, that's too far away from the village in a you need to act as quickly as possible situation." Clover pointed out.

"Oh no, we're not staying in the cave..." Cue the sudden dark clouds appearing out of thin air and the random flash of lighting accompanied with booming thunder. Then just as quickly as it appeared, the storm clouds roll away, leaving behind white puffy ones floating in a blue sky. "...Anymore. We're in the old medical hut now, which is being renovated into a real hospital. It's coming along quite nicely actually, would you like to see?"

Clover said yes, she would and soon, they were at Club Moist Hospital at it's brand new location.

On the outside, one could see that the medical hut turned hospital had been greatly added unto. The medical hut itself now had walls, making up the entrance and waiting room attached to the rest of the building. The interior of the waiting room was arranged in typical fashion like it's cave location before, though the new surroundings provided a different kind of atmosphere. Cold gray cave walls had been replaced by warm brown wooden ones. Where once it had been claustrophobic and dark, was now more open with a tall ceiling and windows where sunlight streamed in, bathing the room in warm light. It was still a hospital, with a less then ideal doctor and nurse team in charge but still, Clover felt it was an improvement.

"This actually looks nice, for a hospital anyway. It's definitely an improvement on the cave." Clover commented as she looked about her surroundings.

"Hey, the cave..." The thunder was loud and clear and Dr. S could see flashes of light out of the corner of his eye. Then he continued. "...was a great hospital. Served me and the kingdom well. Though I have to admit, this isn't so bad. Got it's perks. Oh, like the warm spots." He got a little giddy at the last sentence.

"Warm spots?" Clover asked, confused.

Dr. S slithered into one of patches of sunlight shining through. He closed his eyes, grinned and said, "Mmmm, don't even have to go outside to sun myself now."

"That's all he can think about?" Clover thought to herself, annoyed, then she said out loud, "You know there's also the practical benefits, right? You're not only close by for fossa attacks but also for medical emergencies. Now it will take lemurs less time to get to the hospital or for you to make house calls."

"Oh yeah, Nurse Phantom will be happy. Won't to have to carry equipment as far anymore." Was Dr. S's response.

"Uh huh and…?" Clover was hoping he would say something along the lines of this all being good for his patients as well.

"And what?" Dr. S looked at her confused, unsure of what she wanted him to add.

"Clover! Clover, where are you?" King Julien's muffled frantic voice could be heard right before he came rushing into the room through the double doors followed by Maurice, Mort, and Nurse Phantom.

"Told you he'd be here sooner or later." Nurse Phantom said. Maurice gave him a quick side ways scowl.

"What the heck, Clover?!" King Julien got right up into Clover's face. She winced from the sheer volume and proximity. He lowered it down some to say, "How could you let Alex and Becca say those horrible things about you and to _agree_ with them?! Just...why? Why did you say that you left us all to die!?"

"Because it's the truth! I left you all with nothing and no one to protect you!" Clover argued.

"You thought Mary Ann would keep us safe! You thought we would keep ourselves safe!" King Julien fired back.

"I should have taken precautions to make _sure_ you all would be safe!"

"Fine, yes, you should have but you didn't mean to hurt anyone! Love made you dumb!"

"It doesn't matter if it did!"

"Yes it does matter! People think you're some kind of monster!"

"Maybe I deserve it!" Julien started to argue that but Clover pressed on, arguing with great conviction. "When I first thought that Sage was proposing to me, all I thought about was him and becoming queen of his kingdom and acquiring an army and weapons. I didn't think about who or what would be protecting you or Maurice or Mort or anyone after I was gone, I didn't think to prepare you all before I left, none of that crossed my mind! Because all I was focused on was me, me, me! What _I _wanted and what _I _was going to get! I didn't think about all of you and _your_ needs and if I had...if I had just thought of someone else besides myself, maybe then lemurs wouldn't have died and the rest of you wouldn't have suffered so much." Her voice was drenched in bitterness and regret and her contrite heart was clear as crystal. There was a hitch caught in her throat and she took a hard swallow. Her eyes had gotten misty and she rubbed at them to try and halt the tears before they could freely flow. She then finished with, her voice raspy. "I was selfish and careless and put you all through hell and if that doesn't deserve hatred, then I don't know what does."

Clover's friends hated seeing her in so much pain and hearing her being so cruel to herself and their own hearts were breaking in response.

"Clover, you're not the only one who was careless." King Julien started to say gently. Clover gave him a puzzled look. "When you first told us you were leaving, I was worried about the kingdom's safety. Tried to train an army, went up against what we thought were fake fossa that turned out to be real fossa. That we thought we had defeated, even after they broke through our net and Mary Ann ended up being the one who drove them away. For some reason, I thought that proved that we could defend ourselves, even though clearly that wasn't the case at all and then Sage proposed and that keeping the kingdom safe was just wiped right out of my mind until...you know. I should never have taken something so important so lightly and then just completely forget about it but I did and what I'm trying to say is, you're not the only one who screwed up. You're not the only one who messed up and people got hurt because of it." The shame gnawing inside his heart was transparent as well.

Clover's face melted into concern and she said gently to him, "...Keeping everyone safe isn't your job, your majesty."

"Yes it is! A good king does everything he can to make sure his peoples are safe, which I didn't do and because of that, lemurs died and when I tried to come up with something to save everyone else, it just made things a million times worse! So much of the pain and hurt lately was because of my _stupid_ ideas!" Julien argued back bitterly.

"At least you were trying to make things right! At least _you've_ been here for everyone, unlike _me_, who was off in la la honeymoon land this whole time! You…!" Clover started to fire back when she was interrupted by,

"Fossa!" Willie's all too familiar cry was heard coming from outside, Clover's words dying on her tongue. She would have bolted right out of there and beat the fossa to a bloody pulp if Dr. S hadn't bolted past her first, accidentally shoving her to the ground while he zipped on out of the building like a flash of lighting.

"Clover, are you alright!?" Maurice called out in concern as he and the others rushed over to her side. Clover got right back up, looked towards the double doors with a fearful expression and rushed outside with the others following close behind.

But once outside the building, there was no sign of Dr. S.

"Where is he!?" Clover demanded as she looked around franticly for any sight of the snake doctor. And then they all heard loud, gleeful laughter in Dr. S's voice, accompanied by whimpers and whines and howls from other creatures. Following the noise a short distance, the group soon saw what was happening.

There were the fossa, some fleeing into the jungle whimpering and whining and howling as they went, while others were standing their ground on trembling legs. They looked on with fearful eyes upon Dr. S, who was giggling like a hyena. He was holding in his coils what looked like a pitchfork with two skulls pinned to it's spikes. It's long jaws rattled as Dr. S waved them about proudly like a macabre flag, making it seem like they were laughing along with him.

"Your friends here thought they could beat me. They were wrong but hey, third times the charm, right?" Dr. S said, wearing a sinister grin, holding his morbid staff still so his fellow carnivores could have a good look at what was left of their fallen comrades. "Go ahead and try, I dare you."

None stepped forward. There wasn't even a growl and showing of fangs. The fossa's eyes reminded wide as saucers, glued to Dr. S as their bodies continued to quake.

Dr. S looked to each of them, his wicked grin wide, showing off rows of yellowed fangs. Then his eyes contracted to slits and he shouted,

"Boo!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" The fossa screamed as one, turning tail and bolting, Dr. S chasing after them while cackling gleefully the whole time. He continued to laugh, throwing his head back in triumph after stopping in his tracks and the last fossa faded out of sight.

"Boy, am I glad he's on _our_ side." Ted commented. This got him a round of uh huhs and yeps up in the trees where he and several other lemurs had darted up for safety, all a little unnerved by their scaly savior's creepy behavior. Nonetheless they were still grateful and as Dr. S's laugher died down, lemurs emerged from their hiding spots to go up to him and express that gratitude.

"That. Was. Magnificent!" King Julien rushed over and hugged Dr. S, taking him by surprise.

"Way to go, buddy." Nurse Phantom gave a warm smile to his friend, who smiled back.

"Wow, you really did...again!" Was Maurice's stunned comment. He still didn't have complete faith in Dr. S but he couldn't deny what he had just witnessed either and he had meant what he said about giving the eccentric snake a chance.

"Hooray! You did it! I knew you could!" Mort cheered, skipping gleefully around their scaly savior.

Xixi flew down and landed among the crowd. "Xixi here reporting live where Dr. S has just once again successfully defended the kingdom from the dreaded fossa. Dr. S, how does it feel to once again be everyone's hero?" She held her microphone up towards him.

"Uh...happy to help?" Was Dr. S's response, still quite taken aback by all the positive feedback he was getting. He wasn't used to so much praise all at once from so many different sources.

"And I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say, we're happy to have it. Follow up question, what's with the uh...pitchfork there?" Xixi asked unnerved as she pointed out the skull adorned tool, wincing as she felt the empty eye sockets staring right through into her soul.

That Dr. S had an answer for, one that he was more then happy to give, holding up his macabre staff proudly. "Oh this. Well, after killing the second fossa, I got a wild hair to eat the body but not the head, so I could skin it and keep the skull. You see, scaring the living fossa with a dead one seemed to work the first time and I thought, why can't I do it again? So I skinned said skull, cleaned it and then I managed to find the body of the first fossa and did the same thing. Well, with the skull, couldn't eat the body, other animals had already eaten plenty of that. Then I found this pitchfork and wa la." He grinned while waving the gruesome staff a little, causing Xixi, Maurice and most everyone else to wince in repulsion while Nurse Phantom gave an amused smirk. That was so Dr. S.

"Hey, if it helps keep the kingdom safe, then I say let your creepy flag fly!" King Julien proclaimed. This was the third time that Dr. S had been a hero and King Julien was feeling fantastic about it. That was until he caught sight of Clover.

She was standing at a distance, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed, watching everything unfold with a scowl on her face. Julien wondered what she could possibly be upset about. Dr. S had protected the kingdom _again_. Lemurs were safe. A little creeped out but still very much safe. And then Julien remembered their interrupted argument and everything leading up to it.

Oh, right.

Julien wished that Clover could see herself the way that he saw her. A fighter and not just when it came to beating up bad guys but also with things like sticking up for the little guy against injustice. That she stood by what she believed was right and didn't back down, even if that meant risking her own life to preserve other's lives. That she was one of the most courageous, selfless lemurs he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing and that he considered it a great honor to be one of her friends. That she was a good person who had made a mistake and not a monster. Now if only she could see it that way and everyone else as well.

There were more expressions of gratitude, questions from Xixi and just celebrating the fact that no one had died. Soon enough, the excitement died down and animals started to part ways. By that time, the sun had started making it's way down over a golden horizon. In the fading light, Julien could still see Clover leaning against the tree, her bright orange fur helping her stand out even with the growing shadows muting it's color. He walked towards her as did Maurice and Mort.

"I'm staying the night. It's getting dark and hawks apparently don't have the best night vision. So it's too dangerous to fly." She told them.

"Really? That's great! I mean, It'll be nice to have you here longer that is." Julien said excited at first, then tried to contain his enthusiasm.

"Wait, she's staying the night?" Horst said from a short distance.

"Yeah, is that okay with you, _Horst_?!" Mort shot back in anger.

"But you said yourself ya wasn't gonna leave until after seeing Dr. S against the fossa. Well, ya saw yourself that he did just fine, so why ain't ya leaving?" Pancho appeared and argued to Clover.

"It's too dark and even if it wasn't, Clover can stay as long as she wants!" Julien argued back at him.

"Come on, your majesty." Clover grabbed Julien's arm and dragged him away, with him looking over his shoulder and glaring at Pancho and Horst. Mort and Maurice threw their own glares, then followed after their friends.

"Clover about...about what we were arguing about easier..." Julien started to say.

"We can discuss that later. Right now, there's another reason I can't leave. I need to have a few words with Dr. S." Clover said firmly as Julien saw that they were heading back towards the hospital. "Words you need to hear too, your majesty." She gave a sideways glance at him, then stopped and looked over at Maurice and Mort. "Can you two sit this one out?"

Mort started to protest but Maurice put a paw across his mouth and said, "Of course. Come on Mort." He grabbed the smaller lemur's paw and lend him reluctantly away.

"Maybe she wants to congratulate him and give him some tips for guard duty?" Julien thought to himself, then he said out loud. "Fine, but don't think this gets you out of talking later." allowing himself to be lend on.

They found Dr. S and Nurse Phantom in the waiting room, having just beaten them there with Dr. S still holding the skull pitchfork.

"Oh, hey Clover, hey Julie. Did Dr. S do great or what?" Nurse Phantom said happily and then he noticed Clover's stern expression.

"I have a question for you." Clover said going over to stand before Dr. S, who was a little unnerved by the intense look she was giving him.

"Uh, sure Clover, what is it?" He said, putting down the pitchfork while keeping his eyes on her.

"Is this all a game to you?" She demanded to know, anger bubbling up.

.

.

.

"W-what? I -I don't...I don't understand..." Dr. S had no idea what she was talking about.

"Guarding the kingdom and everyone's lives, is it all just one big _game_ to you?" Clover reiterated, the volume in her voice increasing as her anger boiled over.

"What? No! Why would you…?" Dr. S was utterly flabbergasted by this accusation.

"_That_!" Clover pointed an accusing finger towards Dr. S's macabre tool now leaning against the wall. "Seems you had quite a bit of fun waving it around.", venom oozing in her voice.

"Y-yes, I admit it was a little fun..."

"A little? You were laughing like a hyena on laughing gas the whole time! Like it was a game and that was your toy! Is-is that what everyone else is to you, _toy__s _for-for you to play with until you get bored and abandon them, leaving them all for dead!?"

"What the heck, Clover?!" King Julien exclaimed.

"How can you say that!?" Nurse Phantom demanded.

"Cause I'm not about to trust everyone's lives in the hands...scales...whatever, of someone who treats everything like a joke! I'm not cutting corners with everyone's safety, not again!" Clover shouted, then the fury in her eyes simmered into sorrow and she added, voice low and strangled by regret, "I won't do it, not again."

For a few moments, everyone stood around in silence, a million different emotions swirling about in their minds. Then Dr. S broke the silence, speaking gently to Clover. "Clover please, I _am_ taking guarding the kingdom very seriously, I swear."

"How am I supposed to believe that? You don't take your responsibly as a doctor seriously, what makes protecting the kingdom any different?" Clover argued.

"Nurse Phantom." Was an answer that no one had been expecting.

"_Me_?" Nurse Phantom asked incredulously, pointing to himself, to which Dr. S nodded and went on to say,

"Yes, you. When King Julien first proposed that _I_ should protect the kingdom, I tried to get out of it. I didn't want the job and I figured nobody else would want that either. And then Nurse Phantom had to go and agree with him, saying that we should give this crazy plan a chance and looked at me, begging me with those eyes and I couldn't say no, not to him." Dr. S briefly glanced over at his friend, who was hanging every word, then looked back at Clover.

"And then came the fossa attack. And there's Nurse Phantom along with King Julien and a whole bunch of other lemurs all facing down a pack of fossa with nothing but their own bodies and my medical tools and I'm told afterwards that they all had time to get away but didn't because they didn't want to abandon those who couldn't, our bed ridden patients." Clover took a sharp breath at Dr. S's words and looked over to King Julien, who gave a brief nod. Clover looked back at him in disbelief, horrified that he had risked his life like that, that lemurs had been so helpless. Then turned back to Dr. S.

"And I was so mad and confused and demanded Nurse Phantom tell me just what had possessed him to do such a thing? You wanna know what he told me? He told me that he didn't want to make anyone feel more abandoned then they already were, that he just couldn't leave them to die even if it meant that he died, that he really does care about all of you and I knew that he meant every single word and I finally realized just how much me protecting everyone meant to him." Dr. S turned to Nurse Phantom with warmth in his eyes as he said soft and earnest, "You're always there for me. Always willing to do so much for me. Shouldn't I return the favor?"

"Dr. S..." Nurse Phantom was stunned and touched and lost for words.

Dr. S turned back to Clover. "It's not that I'm not also doing this for King Julien and the rest, I am doing it for them too, honest. To tell you the truth, I have a little more respect for them now after seeing just how much they all care about each other. But most of all, I'm doing it for Nurse Phantom and I know you'd rather it be more for King Julien and everyone and if that's not enough, then I understand but if it can be enough then..." Dr. S had begun to ramble some, then stopped himself. "Then I promise you that I will continue to do all I can to keep everyone safe." He finished off with a humble bow.

Nurse Phantom and King Julien stood in awe over what they had just heard. No one could read Clover's expression as she stood in silence as well, mulling over Dr. S's words. Finally she lifted the snake doctor's head to look her in the eyes and said,

"There's more to kingdom security then driving away enemies or even keeping an eye on King Julien, you know? There's perimeter checks, planning for all kinds of scenarios, tons of things. Are you willing to take on these responsibilities? Are you willing to let me teach you how?"

That was not the response Dr. S had been expecting but he quickly got over being stunned and said as serious as he could. "Yes, I am. Though, I guess this means Nurse Phantom will have to pick up more slack then I thought." He looked to Nurse Phantom. "Nurse Phantom, are you okay with that?"

"Of course." Nurse Phantom responded. Dr. S gave him a small smile, then once again faced Clover to say with conviction,

"Okay, I'm in."

"Good, your training begins tomorrow." Clover said firm and final.

….

It was late into the evening when King Julien found himself wandering out of his home to walk among those of his people. Passing by huts through various stages of completion and those of lemurs who were gracious enough to have offered to share their own with others.

King Julien's own home was filled with lemurs who had previously been staying in the medial hut and Mort, whose stump was still pinned underneath a fallen tree. Though it was annoying having so many roommates (especially when one of them was Mort) it wasn't the main reason that Julien was restless. No, there was much more going through his buzzing mind as he walked alone through a quiet kingdom.

And then he heard a brief squeak. Like the kind that the springs of a bed made when one jumped on it or of a trampoline. Then he realized that he was actually pretty close to the trampoline zone. He went on over there and found that someone was jumping on one of the trampolines and that someone was none other then Nurse Phantom.

Nurse Phantom came down, stretching the netting thin as his weight pressed upon it and then he was once again flying up into the air. The cream colored part of his fur shined in the moonlight and contrasted against a dark night sky. Julien could have sworn he heard giggling. And then came the disfigured lemur's descent back down to earth. Not a fast and hard plummet but slow, light and delicate like a feather dancing on the breeze.

"Whoa!" King Julien exclaimed in wonder. Which startled Nurse Phantom, who turned to see that he wasn't alone.

"Julie? What are you doing here?"

"That is so cool! How in the world are you doing that?" Was Julien's question. It took Nurse Phantom a second to realize what he meant. By then he had almost finished his gentle descent. He came back down upon the trampoline and climbed off as he explained.

"Oh, the floating. Well, of course you know about all my surgeries. Well, one of them was having all my old bones replaced with bird bones." He knocked a fist against his forearm, producing a hollow noise. "Completely hollow." He gave an awkward smile.

"That...is freaky deaky awesome!" King Julien said in awe and Nurse Phantom knew he meant it.

"Heh, yeah, it has it's perks." Nurse Phantom gave an amused smirk, then remembered his earlier inquiry. "What are you doing here?"

"I can say the same for you. Pretty late for solo tramping, isn't it?" King Julien asked back.

Nurse Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "Couldn't sleep. Too much to think about. Clover, Dr. S...is that why you're up too?"

King Julien let out a troubled sigh. "...Yes. It's Clover. Everyone thinks she's this heartless monster who wanted us all to die and she's just letting them say those horrible things and agreeing with them! I mean, this is Clover we're talking about here! You know, Clover, lemur with major anger issues whose always ready for a fight and yet, she's sure not fighting on that! You wanna know what she told me after we left you and Dr. S? That if Dr. S fails to protect the kingdom, that she's going to respect the contract and come back to live here and protect all of us, that her happiness doesn't matter as much everyone's lives! That everyone's safety is more important then being with her peoples and Sage! Tell me, does that sound like a monster to you!?" King Julien asked, imploring Nurse Phantom to see how false those accusations were.

"No, no it doesn't." Was Nurse Phantom's response, scrunching his face in thought. To which King Julien let out a sigh of relief. "For what it's worth, I don't think she's a monster...anymore."

"W-what changed your mind?" Julien asked, genuinely curious and thrilled at having found another ally for Clover.

"It's like you're saying, Clover's words and actions don't match up with someone who doesn't care if we live or die. How she was with everyone, with Dr. S, how she kept going on about making sure we're all safe. Dr. S told me her reaction when she found out that he's her replacement and we both saw how she was when she thought that he was treating the whole situation like a joke. How she blames herself for slacking off on the job. That tells me that she cares a lot, that she feels really guilty for not doing enough before and is trying to atone for her mistakes now." Was Nurse Phantom's sincere answer.

"A-tone?" Julien didn't know that word.

"It means that you did something wrong and you're doing what you can to make up for that. In her own way, that's what Clover's doing." Nurse Phantom explained.

"Well that shouldn't have to involve agreeing with peoples when they call her a monster!" King Julien argued angrily.

"It's what she feels she deserves and people have every right to feel that way!" Nurse Phantom argued back.

"I know they do! I know they have every right to be angry but that doesn't mean they should get away with being so cruel to Clover or for her to feel like she deserves it! It's wrong, it's wrong!" King Julien slammed his fist against a nearby tree, sending stinging, stabbing pain coursing through his appendage.

Julien's eyes went wide and he squeaked out a small, "...Ow." Nurse Phantom winced, knowing that had to hurt. Julien then grabbed his wrist and cried out louder, "Ow, ow, ow!" This went on for some moments, Julien pacing and crying out while Nurse Phantom winced in response until enough of the pain subsided for Julien to settle down.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to check your paw?" Nurse Phantom offered.

"No, no I think it's okay. Where were we? Oh yeah, it's wro..." King Julien was about to once again slam the same fist against the same tree but luckily caught himself in time, awkwardly pulling away with Nurse Phantom's warning dying on his tongue.

Nurse Phantom walked up to Julien and suggested, "Look, maybe...maybe seeing Clover training Dr. S will help change lemur's minds?"

"You really think so?" King Julien asked, cautiously hopeful.

"I mean, that's how it was with me, for both you and Clover." Nurse Phantom told him.

"Me?" King Julien was confused by that.

"Yes. I was with most everyone else, doubting how much if you really cared about everyone. Then it flipped back and forth with you begging Frank for help and Dr. S and the plan and you being stubborn over it and then, and then you stood between us and the fossa and then you asked if everyone felt safe with Dr. S guarding the kingdom. Then I was convinced that you do care. What I'm saying is, maybe that could be the same for Clover, lemurs judging by her actions and seeing that she cares." Nurse Phantom explained.

"...Yeah, yeah! Everyone will see Clover really working hard to make sure Dr. S can protect us, and then they'll have to see how selfless she really is! Thank you, Nurse Phantom!" King Julien said with joy, hopes soaring high and he lunged for Nurse Phantom, wrapping him up in his arms in a tight, warm hug. Nurse Phantom stood stunned at first, unsure what to make of the gesture. How long had it been since the last time they had hugged? Had they done so at all after he came back from being banished? He knew they had touched via their special hand shake and such but couldn't recall them embracing each other even once, not when he first got back or since. Was the last time really _before_ he was banished? Nurse Phantom slowly wrapped his own arms around Julien and gave his own warm squeeze.

Then all too soon, they pulled away. "We got to talk to Clover! You gotta tell her all you just told me! Come on!" Julien said enthusiastically, grabbing Nurse Phantom's paw and started to drag him off. But didn't even get out of the clearing before stopping. "Wait. Clover told me to leave her alone tonight and it's late and she might be asleep and she really needs it and…We'll talk to her in the morning." Julien explained.

"Okay, that sounds like a plan." Nurse Phantom said.

"Boy, I can't wait for morning!" Julien started off excited, then he realized, "...I'm too excited to sleep until morning."

Nurse Phantom gave an amused smirk in spite of himself and then he got an idea. "You know, I'm not tired yet either and was gonna jump on the trampolines some more. You can join me if you want?" He offered shy like, pointing over his shoulder towards said trampolines.

King Julien looked in that direction. That actually sounded nice and he gave a small smile as he said, "Yeah, I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 6

"Uh, Clover? Tell again me why we're doing this? I already know to hunt and kill and stuff."

"Because you need more strategies under your belt. Your way has worked so far but what if you run into a group of enemies that are more bold and organized? You need to prepared for that. Now, show me what you got!"

Clover had woken Dr. S up at the crack of dawn to begin his training. So there they were, Clover bouncing from foot to foot, holding his fists up in a fighting stance, looking over her mock opponent through narrowed eyes. Dr. S narrowed his, wriggled his body, then lunged forward. Clover was easily able to dodge away to the side then in a flash, pounce unto his bowed head and bite down hard.

"Ow, that hurts!" Dr. S cried out, springing up his head and almost throwing Clover off but she griped tight unto his hood and stayed in place.

"You wanna know what really hurts? A pack of fossa swarming all over you and biting down all at once! Now that is real pain!" Clover pointed out in a harsh, no nonsense manner.

"Well they've been a little too scared to try that." Dr. S pointed out in a sassy one.

"Not yet! If you're standing between them and food, then eventually fear over starving to death will override fear of you! Now, shake. Me. Off!" Clover barked and Dr. S began to slither around in circles, bucking and wiggling his body like a wet noodle but try as he might, Clover held on.

"Is that all you got? Come on! What are you, a pretty pony taking me on a nice relaxing stroll? Buck me off already!" Clover goaded him and Dr. S shook his body even more like he was dancing along to an intensely high energy beat but still couldn't shake her off.

While this was going on, Maurice was on the sidelines. Mort then came onto the scene with King Julien and Nurse Phantom in tow.

"Found them! They were sleeping on the trampolines." Mort told him.

"The trampolines?" Maurice asked King Julien.

"Yeah, we were tramping last night and I guess we fell asleep." King Julien said, rubbing his eyes and let out a yawn.

"Why were you two tramping late at night and together for that matter?" Maurice had witnessed Nurse Phantom asking King Julien to hang out together like old times on a couple occasions but his majesty had always turned those offers down, always mentioning in some fashion how 'gross' the other lemur was now. So they didn't tend to spend time together anymore unless it was for medical or wacky scheme reasons. Or they just happen to run into each other, as had been the case a few times as of late.

"Couldn't sleep with...everything. Ran into this guy who was awake too and was already tramping." King Julien recounted, nodding his head towards Nurse Phantom. "We ended up talking and by and by, he invited me to jump with him, so I did." And Julien had to admit to himself that he had a good time. He had enjoyed hanging out with Nurse Phantom again despite him being all gross now and he was also grateful towards him for giving him hope that the peoples won't hate Clover forever.

"Oh oh and guess what? This guy here doesn't think Clover's a heartless traitor anymore!" King Julien enthusiastically pointed out Nurse Phantom, who gave a shy smile.

"Really? That's great! What changed your mind?" Maurice asked Nurse Phantom, ecstatic to know Clover had another ally on her side.

"Just Clover's behavior yesterday. Admitting she made a mistake and trying to make up for it, making sure she doesn't slack off when it comes to everyone's safely again. Did you hear about her and Dr. S's talk after he scared away the fossa?" Nurse Phantom asked Maurice, who nodded. Yes, both King Julien and Clover had given him a brief recap. Nurse Phantom went on with, "She was so angry when she thought that he was treating guarding the kingdom like a game and everyone's lives like toys and I mean really angry not just at him but for us, for everyone's sakes and she seemed so genuine as she spoke and I believe she was and if that's true then she really does care and that got me thinking about other things as well."

"Maurice, you said something like Clover and Sage's love made us all stupid, that we were all so focused on their wedding that everything else was just brushed aside. That we focused on flowers and cake and you even mentioned the stupid Sage robot Julie asked for. Just something about that robot, that we put so much time and effort into something so ridiculous but not with keeping ourselves safe and you know, _alive_. And like Julie said, we _were_ worried about the fossa at first but then it was all like '_good enough'." _Nurse Phantom said those words in a mockingly dopey fashion, then went back to speaking normally, _"_and that was the end of that. Just whoosh, Mary Ann and the fossa and the possibility that we don't have things under control after all, just out of sight, out of mind! We were all really stupid and didn't mean for everything horrible to happen afterwards and I believe now that it was the same for Clover too."

"Well, I'm glad someone has been listening. Thank you, Nurse Phantom." Maurice said then added, first facing Nurse Phantom then King Julien. "Oh dear Frank, that robot! Your majesty, what were you thinking?"

"I...I was _thinking_ that I didn't want Clover to be sad." King Julien said defensively, crossing his arms.

"More like you didn't want your butt whooped after she found out you lost her fiance." Maurice grumbled, earning him a glare from Julien. "…Who was perfectly fine. Had dug himself out, just didn't bother to tell anyone." An edge had creeped into Maurice's words and they got edgier as he went on. "I mean, I understand not wanting to stay buried alive but he could have easily just told us that he dug himself out right away and then he could have gone on to pick his fish friend no problem! Would have saved us a whole heap of trouble and Clover crying over his not dead body!" Maurice ranted, remembering his friend's tears when the robot Sage blew up and when she thought that the real Sage had suffocated to death in an unmarked grave. And then they found the real Sage very much alive and sitting in the back without telling anyone he was there or where he had gone or even fazed that his actions had caused his lover to believe that he had died.

"...Yeah. Yeah, he did that. Clover cried because of him and I know it was an accident but an accident he could have prevented like nothing but he didn't and Clover was heart broken and did he ever apologize to her? Cause I never heard one! Did you guys?" Julien asked of Maurice and Mort. He too was starting to get mad.

"I think he said sorry but it sounded more like the kind of sorry you say when you take the last cookie from the cookie jar, not when you caused your fiance to believe you're dead because you couldn't bother to tell anyone where you ran off to!" Mort offered angrily, going on to rant, "But apparently Clover didn't care! She was just so happy that he was okay that she just completely brushed it aside and they went on to get married like nothing happened and we all watched them happily do it like a bunch of idiots!"

"We did, didn't we? We just smiled and cheered even after what he had made Clover go through. Why? Why did we do that?" Maurice asked of his friends and Nurse Phantom, desperately wanting to know just what in the hell they all had been thinking.

"Cause that's when love was making us all a bunch of idiots! None of us was their right minds back then." Mort pointed out angrily.

"I'll say. I know she loves him but wouldn't it have be more like Clover to have been furious at him for being so careless and postpone the wedding until he gave a real apology?" Maurice pointed out.

"Or just cancel the wedding all together and dump that jerk." Julien grumbled to himself.

"What did you say?" Mort asked, having heard him speak but not the words. Meanwhile, Maurice and Nurse Phantom had picked up the words thanks to their sharp ears and they looked over at Julien in shock. Seeing their expressions made Julien realize that what he had thought had stayed in his head, he had said out loud instead.

"Uh...n-nothing. Forget it." Julien told them, not doing a good job of hiding how nervous he was now.

"Your majesty..." Maurice started to say.

"I said forget it!" King Julien yelled so loud that it caught Clover's attention, pulling her eyes away from Dr. S and towards him. With her distracted, Dr. S once again bowed then whipped his upper body straight up, flinging Clover off. She screamed during her brief flight until she landed hard unto the ground, body bouncing and rolling a short distance in the dirt until she came to rest on her side amid a freshly kicked up cloud of dust.

"Got ya!" Dr. S shouted in triumphant, grinning wide with pride. He then did a victory dance, moving like a wiggling worm.

"Clover?" Mort asked with slight concern as he and the others walked over to Clover, who was lying still with her eyes closed. No response.

"Clover?" Julien asked with growing concern, nudging her side with his foot. Still no response.

"Clover!" Maurice shouted in great concern. Still not a stirring from her.

"Dr. S, come over here!" Nurse Phantom shouted over to Dr. S, who stopped his dancing and looked over to the concerned group surrounding Clover's still form. He slithered over and Nurse Phantom went on to tell him anxiously, "I think she's hurt."

"Clover?" Dr. S asked as he hovered over her. Nothing.

He got closer.

"Clover?"

He got even closer until they were face to face.

"Clover?"

Suddenly one of her eyes popped wide open, her leg shooting out and socking Dr. S right in the throat. While he reeled back and went into a choking fit, Clover spring back onto her feet quick as a flash, then proceeded to deliver a round of kicks one right after the other to Dr. S's head. After a great many and one last extra hard kick, Dr. S fell backwards unto the ground, tongue out, eyes swirling.

"I've got to admit, good job on using that distraction to your advantage but maybe next time, don't fall for the old fake injury trick." Clover told him with a smirk.

King Julien started to howl with laughter.

"What's so funny?" Maurice demanded, angry at the dirty trick.

"Fa-faking an injury t-to sneak attack a guy. That's so Clo-Clover!" King Julien managed to say between giggles before once again howling.

"Oldest trick in the book. He-he's got to learn." Clover tried to say with a straight face but found herself grinning ear to ear and soon laughter was erupting from her as well.

"Ya both crazy!" Maurice said but found that he couldn't be but so angry. As maddening as it could be, he had missed this. He had missed his two friends get all getty over insane and sometimes mean spirited antics like two overgrown children. And especially with all they had gone through lately and still were, Maurice smiled in sprite of himself at the sight of the two of them being so happy and free from their troubles, if only for a short time.

Nurse Phantom went on over to Dr. S and asked, "You okay?"

"I'll live." Dr. S answered, not hiding how bone bushed exhausted he was.

When King Julien's laugher had died down, he remembered the fantastic news he had for Clover and said to her enthusiastically, "Clover! While you're not training, Nurse Phantom has something to tell you!" He looked over at Nurse Phantom, who gave Clover a bashful smile. Seeing her wary reaction, Julien quickly added, "It's good news, I promise!"

"Is it important cause we've not done with training?" Clover nodded her head towards Dr. S, who was picking himself up.

"Didn't you say we'd take a break so you could have breakfast? We could do that now." Dr. S suggested, hoping she would take the hint and he could rest his beaten body.

"Yes, I did. Alright, we can get some food and then you can tell me this news." Clover said to Nurse Phantom, still a little leery.

"Great! Let's go!" King Julien happily grabbed them both by the paw and lead them off with Maurice and Mort on their heels.

So all five lemurs ended up sitting around a picnic table together sipping freshly made mango smoothies as Nurse Phantom told Clover about not hating her anymore and his reasons why. One of them being how stupid everyone had been paying attention to frivolous and ridiculous things instead of their own safety, including Frankensage. Nurse Phantom didn't go on to talk about the real Sage's actions that day but it popped up in Clover's mind all the same. Her blood began to boil at the memory and she griped her coconut cup ever so tighter.

"Tell her the best part." King Julien told Nurse Phantom, excited and impatient. Clover couldn't help but be amused by her friend's enthusiasm and her blood cooled down and she loosed her grip.

"I'm getting there." Nurse Phantom told him, amused as well. Then he closed off, with his temper more mild then Julien's, "Anyways, I said to Julie that if I changed my mind about you, then it was possible for other lemurs to do the same."

"That there's hope that the peoples won't hate you forever! It's that fantastic!?" King Julien added with bravo.

"I...thank you, Nurse Phantom." Clover didn't know what else to say, so taken aback by this change in attitude. She didn't want King Julien to get his hopes up too high and have them dashed but Nurse Phantom wasn't wrong either. The two of them had never been friends or even friendly acquaintances and yet he was, willing to give her another chance. If he could change his mind then why not other lemurs? She couldn't help but feel a tad hopeful and a little more grateful and so she gave him a small sincere smile. "So, anything else you wish to tell me?" She asked Nurse Phantom and King Julien, not wanting to get too emotional. They looked at each other.

"I don't think so?" Nurse Phantom couldn't recall anything significant coming up after that.

"Yeah, I don't think we talked about anything important while we were tramping." King Julien said to Clover, shrugging his shoulders.

"Wait, tramping? Like the trampolines and we? You two jumped on trampolines together?" Clover asked Julien, surprised. It was no secret how his majesty was repulsed by his old friend's newest physical appearance and didn't wish for them to hang together anymore because of it.

"He invited me to join him after we talked about you and I said yes. I was too excited to sleep anyways and also he made me feel better about you and everything and it's not just that even." King Julien told Clover, then faced Nurse Phantom and said to him with sincere warmth. "You've been helping me and everyone out so much lately. Convincing Dr. S on the plan, patching up and listening to the peoples, calling me out on being a stubborn idiot, even willing to give your own life for your fellow peoples. You've been looking out after everyone and that's real cool of you, man. Thank you for that, for everything."

"I...it was nothing, really." Nurse Phantom said, sniffling and blinking his misty eyes and giving a warm smile. King Julien gave him a warm smile back.

Mort looked back and forth between them, that old familiar feeling of possessiveness towards his King Julien creeping in and he piped in with, "Okay, okay, enough of this sappy stuff." He turned to Clover. "While we've got ya here, Clover, there's some things I wanna know. Like for starters, what's it's like being a queen now?"

"Oh yeah, how's royal life treaten you, Clo-Clo?" King Julien added. He had wondered the same thing but though not that much as of late.

So Clover told them that she still couldn't believe she was a queen now. With how things were run in her kingdom, she didn't always feel like one. Sage didn't want servants, which Clover was more then fine with, as she didn't like the idea of becoming a spoiled and lazy royal who didn't do anything for themselves.

"And what's so bad about that?" Was King Julien's comment, which earned him an amused smirk and short chuckle from Clover.

She went to say that Sage didn't even have special sleeping quarters, sharing the same tent at night with his people. Clover however did have her own private yurt (having to explain that it was a kind of round tent) because some of the mountain lemurs passed copious amounts of gas in their sleep and the smell made Clover feel like throwing up breakfast, lunch, and dinner and never eating or even looking at food ever again.

There were of course day to day duties, some royal degrees and orders but the best part for Clover was over seeing her kingdom's army. The mountain lemur training regimen for fighting had been...lacking under Sage's rule, their king wanting to replace some of his people's more violent activities with more peaceful ones. When Clover had proposed bringing said violent activities back, there weren't many objections. Though no longer conquerors, the mountain lemurs were still very much warriors at heart and many accepted their queen's plan with red hot blood pulping furiously in joyful anticipation.

Almost all of the objections were from lemurs who didn't mind the training regimen being revived, they just didn't to take part in it and Clover respected their decision. Then one lemur brought up Sage's original trimming down of said regimen and asked what his opinion was. Clover's response was that she hadn't told him yet but no matter what he said, she would go through with it anyways and that he'd have to get over it.

"He didn't like the idea of bringing the more violent parts back, saying the kingdom didn't need to practice them anymore. I told him that he didn't know what the future could being and anyways, everyone was looking forward to having them back. He said that he was worried that 'too much violence could lead the people back down a dark path'." Clover tired to imitate her husband's voice in a mocking manners. "I told him that our people were still warriors that had urges that needed to come out one way or another, might as well be in a controlled environment surrounded by lemurs capable of stopping them if anything went too far. He then started off on one of his sayings and by then I just told him to get over it! End of discussion!" Clover sliced through the air like drawing a line through the sand. She then crossed her arms and finished with, "Training's been in full swing ever since." It was then that she noticed the looks of discomfort on everyone else's faces. Realizing how harshly she was talking about her husband, Clover struggled to come up with another topic, any other topic, when she felt a gentle nudge against her side.

It was Shadow the hawk, who had joined them while Clover had been recounting everything. She had wedged herself between Clover and King Julien, shoving him off his seat. Julien then ordered Mort to leave his place on Clover's other side but when Julien went to sit there, the hawk switched over and shoved Julien off that side. After several failed attempts, Julien ended up sitting next to Maurice and Mort was allowed back in his seat next to Clover.

"You and Shadow seem close." Maurice commented, noticing the tenderness come over Clover's face as she looked upon her avian companion. He had also noticed her discomfort when seeing all of theirs after her venting about Sage and didn't believe it was a good idea to press the matter. Not at the moment anyways. So he decided to try and steer the conversation unto a more pleasant track, which Clover was more then happy to travel down.

"Yeah, would you believe that she once belonged to Koto." This got her a round of shocked expressions and a gasp from Mort. "Yeah, that Koto. Anyways, after he died, she belonged to no one. Other mountain lemurs tried to claim her as their own but she wouldn't let them come near her, let alone ride her. She stayed with them, stayed friends with the other hawks but kept her distance from the lemurs. And then I arrive and suddenly she's all over me. Nuzzling me and even allowing me to get unto her back and ride her. According to Sage, she saw me protecting Koto from him and in gratitude, had chosen me as her new owner. So yeah, I have a hawk now." Clover recounted, affectionately scratching the side of Shadow's head, the large bird's eyes closed in content as she leaned into her owner's touch.

"Awww, that's sweet. Uh, did Sage mention too just what her deal is with me?" King Julien asked, insulted that Shadow was fine with _Mort_ sitting next to Clover but not him.

"She saw you crush Koto to death with his statue." Clover told him. Yes, Shadow had also witnessed King Julien lean against the large stone statue Koto had built in his likeness, accidentally knocking it over and unto the real Koto, killing him.

"I...don't know what you're talking about." King Julien turned away, crossed his arms and turned his nose up at the notion.

He remembered that day well. Sage standing over Koto, ready to strike the killing blow, when Clover had stepped in between the two brothers, pleading with Sage to stop. She said something along the lines of you didn't have to be aggressive to be strong or macho muscles to be resilient and listening to your heart. She also reasoned that Koto was a warrior who wanted to die fighting instead of a living loser who'd lost everything and that Sage shouldn't give him what he wants. Sage had listened, dropped his weapon and he and Clover hugged. Thinking back on it, a wave of fresh admiration for his friend came over Julien. Dear Frank, she was amazing.

"Same old Julien." Clover thought to herself, amused. She knew that it had been an accident. An accident that had worked out for everyone. Right before being crushed to death, Clover remembered seeing for a brief moment Koto standing with sword held high before her and Sage. If it wasn't for King Julien, she or Sage or even both of them might have died that day instead. They got lucky, really lucky.

After finishing their food, Nurse Phantom left the group to go open up the hospital for the day and Shadow flew off, probably to go hunt for her own breakfast. Everyone else went off in search of Dr. S.

They found him and after some moaning and groaning from the snake doctor, he and Clover were once again squared off against each other. Dr. S put in an honest effort in the fight but Clover wiped the floor with him all the same. His muscles screamed at him, saying that their break wasn't nearly long enough. His splitting head demanded to know just what he was thinking agreeing to this torture. All while his heart reminded him that he was doing this for Nurse Phantom, his dearest friend who cared for his fellow citizens much more then he had ever realized. And this is what kept Dr. S going, taking his beating like a champ, giving it his all to soak in Clover's painful lesson, even getting in a few hits time to time.

King Julien, Maurice, Mort and several other lemurs watched all this from the sidelines, the king looked about at his subjects and wishing that he could read their minds. Desperately wondering if seeing Clover training Dr. S was helping to convince anyone that she truly did care if they lived or died. Then again, sometimes hurt feelings could make one blind to what's right in front of them. Sometimes it took someone else pointing it out for one to look past said hurt feelings to see what was really there. This gave King Julien an idea.

"Gee Maurice, it sure is nice of Clover to train Dr. S, isn't it? So considerate and so very, very sorry for not doing anything sooner." Julien said a little on the loud side and like he was reading off a script. Maurice thought that he sounded ridiculous but played along.

"It sure is. It's great that she's looking after us so." He answered in the same manner.

"She sure knows when to admit she made a mistake and do everything she can to make up for it." Mort added.

Julien looked over at his subjects and saw a lot of eye rolling and scowls. He pouted and crossed arms.

"Be patient your majesty. It's gonna take more then one training session but hopefully, people will see in time that Clover really does care about them. I mean, Nurse Phantom already has." Maurice tried to reassure him, to which Julien let out a sigh. He knew his friend was right, he just wished that his people could see Clover like he did.

He went back to watching her. Noticing things like the spark in her brilliant green eyes that shone like two tiny suns were housed within. The calculated smirk playing across her lips as she dodged and leaped with grace and landed blow by blow with sturdy fists and strong arms.

Julien wanted to be wrapped in those arms again, the group hug from the previous day ending all too soon. He wanted one for himself and to be able to hug her back. To feel safe and secure in these arms. To share body warmth, feel her fur against his own, her heart beating along with his own. Looking deep into those brilliant green eyes.

Eyes that reminded Julien of the jungle. Closed off, mysterious, and one misstep could land one into a whole heap of trouble and at the same time teeming with energy and life within. Wild, unpredictable, with the possibility of surprises around every corner. And also like the jungle, one could find themselves lost in those eyes.

"King Julien?"

"Huh?" King Julien was pulled out of this thoughts by the sound of Mort's voice. He looked down and saw that Mort was staring at him with curiosity. He asked an annoyed, "What?"

"What ya thinking about?" Mort asked innocently, paying no mind to the irradiated response. Julien found that he didn't want to share his thoughts about Clover.

"N-nothing." Was Julien's answer, avoiding Mort's eyes.

"Oh come on, it must have been something really nice. You looked so happy." Mort pointed out.

"It wasn't...that nice." Julien continued to look off to the side and started rubbing the back of his neck.

"Really? Cause it sure looked like it. You were all smiley and relaxed and your eyes were..." Mort pondered for a moment, searching for the right words. "Hmmm, how to describe them...soft? Yeah, your eyes were soft."

"It isn't anything important, so let's drop already, okay?" Julien demanded, growing more irritated by the second. By then, Mort had noticed his friend's manner, which farther peaked his curiously. He must find out what was troubling his King Julien.

"Why don't you want to talk about it?" Mort pressed on.

"Why do you _want_ to talk about it?" Julien fired back, the volume in his voice was raising and the lemurs who hadn't been staring at his goofy grin before were looking his way now with Maurice among them, he himself watching with growing concern.

"Why are you being so defensive?"

"I'm not being defensive!"

"Huh?" Clover looked up from where she had once again slammed Dr. S to the ground and saw King Julien glaring at Mort with the assembled crowd looking on. She left the dazed doctor lying on the ground to watch the stars swirling around his head and walked over. "What's going on?" She demanded to know.

"King Julien's bout ready to bit Mort's head off, man. He's pissed off." Butterfish told her.

"Cause that nosy little trash goblin won't mind his own business!" Julien piped in.

"He was thinking about something and he looked really happy and I just wanted to know what it was. Is that a crime?" Mort first explained to Clover, then at the last sentence, turned to Julien and angrily asked.

"It's _annoying_ when you say you don't want to talk about something and yet, _somebody_ continues to pester me about it!" Julien snapped at Mort. He then closed his eyes, letting out a tired sigh, and rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"Hey, you okay?" Clover asked in concern. When Julien reopened his eyes and removed his paws from his face, she noticed for the first time the dark circles around his eyes. Julien groaned and then let out a yawn.

"Your majesty, how much sleep did you get last night?" Maurice asked, recalling Julien and Nurse Phantom recalling their late night trampoline jumping and the fact that Mort had found the two of them sleeping on said trampolines.

"Uh...I don't know. Nurse Phantom and I...it was late when we started tramping...I have no idea." King Julien knew the two of them had jumped for a decent amount of time and that they must have fallen asleep at some point but couldn't put a time to it.

"I'm gonna take that as you didn't get enough. You're probably irritable because you're tired, your majesty. Why don't you go lie down for a bit?" Maurice suggested.

"Maurice is right, your majesty. Go take a nap." Clover agreed.

"...A nap does sound nice." Julien said, the adrenaline that had been pumping through his body from the prospect of helping Clover was wearing off and he now noticed himself feeling sluggish. So he started off towards his hut (looking forward to catching some sleep without all of his house guests present) when a thought struck him and stopped him in his tracks. He then turned around, rushed over and collided into a very confused Clover where he wrapped his arms around her and gave a gentle squeeze.

"King Julien?" Clover asked, stunned.

"I just realized I didn't get my own hug from my friend who I missed so, so much." Julien said to her low and tender with his voice straining, overwhelmed by the sheer joy of seeing her again. This caused Clover to be overwhelmed by affection towards him and she returned the hug in kind. They stayed like that for some moments, no words, just the two of them relishing the welcomed feel of a friend until Clover said softly, "I missed you too."

…

After King Julien left, Clover and Dr. S continued to duel for a little longer, then Clover told him that the fighting portion of their lessons was over for the day and that they would take a break before getting into other matters of security. So the snake doctor went off to lick his wounds, the crowd parted ways and soon it was just Clover and Maurice left.

Maurice took a deep breath and approached Clover, who was wiping the dirt and grime off herself with a damp towel. "Clover? There's-there's something I need to tell you." He said nervously, fidgeting his paws.

"Sure Maurice. What is it?" Clover asked, curious, wrapping the towel round the back of her neck.

"When King Julien first agreed to you coming back if Dr. S fails, I didn't fight him on like I should have. I mean, I asked him if he really wanted to go through with it but that was nothing and when it was all said and done, I stood by and let him sign that damn contract! All because I was so tired of all the crazy schemes and everyone getting hurt but I was so sure Dr. S would fail and that meant you would get hurt and I did nothing about it besides a weak 'are you sure about this' and I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Clover." Maurice admitted, shaking his head in shame, which griped his heart tightly in it's clenched fist, claws digging deep and bringing forth blood pouring out in his remorseful words.

"Maurice..." Clover was stunned by this confession and truth by told, she was hurt by her friend's inaction but she also couldn't be but so angry at him either. Not when the lives of everyone in the kingdom had been at stake. Innocent lives that had been in danger in the first place because of her inaction. "It's okay, Maurice..."

"No, it's not! I should have fought for you! I should have argued for a better plan, one that wouldn't involve tearing you away from Sage and your happily ever after!" Maurice argued.

"Did you even have a plan in mind at the time?" Clover asked.

"...No." Maurice admitted.

"And I'm guessing you don't have one now, do you?" Clover pressed on.

"King Julien, Mort, and I have been trying to come up with one but haven't thought of anything that wouldn't be farther risking everybody's lives or...as appealing to the people as seeing you suffer." Maurice felt dirty saying that last part, even though he was repeating other's feelings and not his own. He let out a tired sigh and said wearily, "I should have done more."

"You were looking out for the people and I can't hold that against you." Clover lay a reassuring paw on his shoulder and argued gently and with conviction, "Yes, I love Sage and being the mountain lemur's queen but you, King Julien, Mort, everyone, your lives matter far more then my happiness."

"Of course our lives matter and we deserve safety and happiness but so do you, Clover! You deserve to be happy too." Maurice said with conviction. Clover didn't respond, instead looking off to the side and wearing an expression that Maurice couldn't read. "You're a good person whether you believe it or not."

Clover sighed, slid the towel off her neck and let it drop to the ground. "You're too sweet for your good, you know that right?" She said affectionately, then turned back to face him. "And I've missed that terribly." She spread out her arms in invitation. "King Julien's not the only one who deserves his own hug, you know."

Maurice closed the gap between them and they embraced. They silently enjoyed the welcomed feel of a friend until Maurice said softly, "I missed you too."

….

As King Julien headed towards his hut, he mulled over his reaction towards Mort. The annoying little hang nail asked stupid and annoying questions all the time but his latest one had been innocent enough, definitely not worth getting defensive over. Julien had only been watching Clover training Dr. S and imagining hugging her and that wasn't worth hiding, right? No need to get all snappy and secretive over just admiring a friend's mad fighting skills and wanting a decent hug after not seeing each other for weeks, right? It had to be exhaustion getting to him like Clover and Maurice said. He just needed a good nap and then he would stop acting all weird and saying crazy things like instead of going through with the wedding, Clover should have dumped Sage's not sorry butt for being an inconsiderate jerk who had made her cry and giving the lamest apology for it.

Julien shook his head furiously, telling himself to take it down like twenty notches. Just because he himself hadn't heard one, didn't mean that Sage never gave Clover a decent apology later on, right? Maybe the gravity of Sage's stunt finally hit Clover after the reception and she had sat Sage and told him how much his actions had hurt her. Then realizing how much of a jerk he had truly been, Sage could have gone to give a sincere heartfelt apology to her. It was possible, right? Sage had shown time and again to be incredibly dense at times and Julien suddenly remembered that he hadn't even realized he was at his own wedding at first. So it was entirely possible that he didn't realize how much hurt he had caused and it couldn't have helped that nobody, not even Clover, had called him out on it because that was when love was making everybody stupid. It might have even made Sage extra stupid. Yeah, that was totally possible.

Then again, it was also possible that Clover had never received a decent apology for that day because even after love was no longer making him extra stupid and dense, (if it had at all) Sage had realized how he had hurt her but didn't care. Julien thought for a moment to just ask Clover about all this but hesitated. What if he didn't like her answer? What would he do then? What would he say to her?

.

.

.

Sage had his flaws but he loved Clover and she loved him. Although Julien wasn't feeling the love as she had been venting about her husband earlier. Then again, even the happiest couples got mad at each other from time to time and didn't always agree on stuff and even though he didn't agree with it, Clover hadn't said anything about Sage trying to stop her more violent training regimen. So maybe he knew how much it meant to her and respected her enough to not try and stop it and if that was true, then he must respect her feelings and must have apologized, right?

.

.

.

Dear Frank, he needed a nap.


	7. Chapter 7

Dr. S landed with a hard thud, kicking up a cloud of dust. After a bout of coughing, Clover glared down upon his bruised and dust coated body.

"Oy, is that all you got? Is that all you got?!" Clover barked.

Dr. S stayed where he was, tongue out, eyes closed.

"Oy, get up!" She gave his side a hard kick but no response. "You down for the count already, ya big baby? You know, I honestly expected better of you but I guess I was _wrong_!"

Still no response.

Clover wiped her brow, fingers brushing away beads of sweat. It was a practically hot day, the sun hanging high alone in a clear blue sky. Clover shielded her eyes against it's harsh rays and was suddenly aware of her dry, burning throat. She took one last look Dr. S's way, who still hadn't moved. Then she turned and headed towards the nearby table where there were several coconut cups of water waiting. Suddenly, she felt something colliding with her feet, causing them to give out from under her. She landed flat on her face and had barely touched the ground when something brushed up against her neck.

"Chomp, you're dead."

Clover opened her eyes and saw the tip of a scaly tail being pulled away from her person. She looked up and saw the rest of Dr. S towering over her with a big grin on his face.

"Got ya." He said with gleeful pride.

"Why you little...yeah, you got me." Clover admitted begrudgingly.

"Shouldn't have been so quick to turn your back on me." Dr. S said all smug.

"Yeah, yeah." Clover got up and brushed the dirt from her fur. Part of her wished to punch the smug self satisfied grin off his face but it was part of his training and she was genuinely a tad impressed.

For four days after that first session, Clover had ran Dr. S through the wringer, constantly testing him on signs of danger to look out for, what to do in all kinds of kingdom/King Julien threatening scenarios, and beating the snake doctor to the ground over and over again in sparing matches. Part of why she put him through such harsh training was to see if he would see it through or quit, say that kingdom security was too hard of a job. Clover knew he had saved numerous lives and his seemingly sincere words about fighting for Nurse Phantom and his vow to protect the kingdom was stuck in her head but the idea that the eccentric doctor would actually stick with such a demanding job and take it seriously was still a hard one to wrap her head around. She had fully expected him to have quit by then but he hadn't. Day in and day out, he got back up and threw himself into her painful lessons. There was plenty of moaning and groaning along the way but still, he came back for more each day. He still had much to learn but Clover felt that he was slowly but surely getting there.

"I can't believe you fell for the old fake injury trick." Dr. S said, chuckling.

"I did not! That was a freebie!" Clover said defensively. It wasn't but he didn't have to know that.

"Oh please, you fell for it. Admit it."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did no..." Clover was interrupted by a nearby ear piercing screech of a hawk. She looked up, half expecting her own hawk Shadow to appear but as the large bird descended closer, she saw that wasn't the case. The hawk that soon landed close to her side was brown with red, yellow and white and sitting on the majestic bird's back was none other then Clover's husband, Sage Moondancer.

"Sage!?" Clover and Dr. S exclaimed at the same time.

"Clover!" Sage exclaimed, hopping off his hawk to hug his wife.

"Sage, wha-what are you doing here?" Clover asked, hugging him back, happy to see him but also confused. They pulled apart and Sage explained,

"You've been gone for days and I hadn't received a message from you. I started to get worried and our people have as well, so I came here to see how you were faring."

"Oh my...I'm so sorry! I meant to write, I swear! I've just been so busy I must have forgotten! I'm sorry for making you and everyone worry!" Clover said, painfully aware of the kind of scenarios that must have ran through Sage and their subject's heads and how easy it would have been to ease their minds with a simple letter explaining that, yes she was fine and not dead or in any danger. Ugh, once again she had been so focused on one matter that she had completely neglected another, though at least this time without catastrophic consequences.

"So, howare you faring? How are King Julien and the people of this kingdom?" Sage inquired.

"I'm fine. King Julien and everyone are fine...now. Like I said, I've been busy. I've been training Dr. S...oh, this is Dr. S." Clover indicated Dr. S.

"Hello." Dr. S waved his tail. They had crossed paths more then once but had never formally been introduced.

"I'm training him to be my replacement in protecting the kingdom." Saying it out loud somehow made the idea even more insane to Clover.

"A giant snake protecting the kingdom? Cool." Sage said in awe without a hint of sarcasm to be found. Dr. S was taken aback by this response. He knew that Sage was a lemur that marched to the beat of his own strange drum but still, he was one of only a handful that had expressed total confidence in him from the get go. Confidence that Dr. S himself wasn't sure he deserved.

"Typical Sage." Clover thought to herself, annoyed from Sage's lack of questioning the situation. Even without the context of Dr. S's history and personality, the idea of a giant snake protecting a bunch of lemurs who he could just as easily swallow whole was still a pretty outlandish situation. One that deserved at least a little skepticism. Then again, this was Sage, when did he ever make a fuss over anything out of the ordinary? Still, _giant snake protecting lemurs_, he could at the very least be dumbfounded by the sheer ridiculousness of the idea.

Another screech of a hawk was heard, followed by Shadow the hawk flying over and landing next to Sage's man hawk. The two birds greeted each other with joyful screeches, nuzzled the sides of their heads together and then proceeded to talk to each other in their hawk language.

"Clover? Dr. S? _Sage_?" Maurice said in surprise as he, Mort, and King Julien rushed unto the scene.

"Sage? Wha-what are you doing here?" King Julien asked, panting, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"He came to check on me because I forgot to send him an update on everything." Clover explained, embarrassed.

"I've heard rumors about the carnage plaguing this land. Tell me, what is fact and what is fiction?" Sage asked everyone.

So Sage was given a brief run down of all that had happened since his and Clover's wedding, all the while Sage himself didn't utter a single word until after the recap was finished.

"So, you received a sign from Frank that Dr. S was meant to protect you guys and so Dr. S has been protecting you guys? Awesome." Sage said in awe, again with no hint of sarcasm to be found. Everyone looked at him incredulously.

"And?" Clover asked, clenching her jaw, trying to keep her composer.

"And what?" Sage asked back, confused.

"Is that all you have to say!?" Clover snapped, intense green eyes glaring up at serene blue ones.

"What else is there?" Sage didn't understand what else his wife wanted him to say.

"What else...this whole mess started because of _our wedding_! Our wedding, which made everyone let their guards down, including me! I was so focused on you and dresses and _feelings_ that I didn't check on Mary Ann, didn't access King Julien and everyone to see if they could actually defend themselves, didn't train anyone to take my place, did _nothing_ to ensure that everyone's safety! No, no, it just made me an idiots that went 'Good enough! No need to do anymore, no need to ensure lemurs won't _die_ without me! I'm sure the kingdom will be just fine'!" Clover said in a mocking fake, doopy happy tone. Then she snapped back to show her very real anger. "But it wasn't fine and it wasn't enough! Lemurs _died_ at our wedding reception, Sage! _Died_! And many more almost have!" Clover paused and briefly looked over at King Julien, guilt written clear across her face. It pained Julien to see that expression. Clover then turned back to Sage and took a deep breath. Shame and remorse was painfully clear in her voice as she continued. "I know neither of us meant for anyone to get hurt but the fact is, lemurs have been hurt because of our actions. For the love of Frank, don't you regret getting married so quickly? Maybe if we hadn't, if we had a longer engagement and thought things through more, then maybe I would seen that more had to be done before I left. Then no one would have gotten hurt."

Clover looked expectantly at Sage, hoping to see a change in his demeanor, to see the gravity of the situation hit him. She didn't need for him to start yelling at the sky, lamenting over what he had done in dramatic fashion. She just wanted some indication that the gravity of the situation was effecting him, show that he gave a damn about the innocent lives effected by their careless actions. He loved every creature big and small and always showed real sorrow at their pain. Surely he felt sorrow then and there for all the pain that he had helped cause, right? He had to.

"What's done is done and regret is an anchor wrapped around the soul in sea of wasted tears." Was Sage's composed response.

Blood started to boil and everyone else present all had their own scathing remark in mind but it was Clover who beat them to the punch with,

"What's wrong is you!? Innocent lives have suffered because of us and you're just brushing it aside like...like it doesn't matter!"

"Of course the suffering of innocents matters but the innocents of this kingdom aren't suffering anymore, are they? All are safe and sound thanks to Dr. S. Why dwell on what if's when they will only smother you like a stage mother living vicariously through her child?" Was Sage's calm argument.

"What's Tammy have to do with any of this?" A new outraged voice suddenly appeared and from the sound of it, coming from close by. It was followed by a none too quiet whisper.

"Quiet hun!"

"Becca? Abner? Where are you guys?" Maurice said in surprise, looking around to see if he could spot the couple.

"Oh, looks like the jig is up guys. Might as well come out." Xixi's voice was heard a moment before she herself stepped out of some nearby bushes, followed by at least a dozen or so lemurs, including Abner being pushed in a wheel chair by Becca.

"What the...okay, how long have you guys been ease dropping on us?" King Julien wanted to know.

"Long enough to know that this _bubble brained bastard_ here doesn't give a _damn_ that he almost got us all _killed_!" Hector answered furiously while glaring daggers aimed at Sage's throat. Other citizens nodded in agreement while directing their own scathing glares.

"I literally just said that I do care about your pain. It's just that I'm not allowing guilt to consume me over events that cannot be changed and actions that had no malicious intent behind them." Sage told him with just the tiniest hint of an edge to his tone, with Clover being the only one to hear it and she wasn't sure if it's real or she was imagining it.

"Actions that who what now?" Abner asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"He's saying that he ain't gonna feel bad over what he did cause _'_it's over and done and he didn't mean to hurt anyone'." The second half of Hector's sentence was blatantly said mockingly. Which Sage either didn't notice or didn't care.

"Exactly. Only by living in the present can one truly enjoy the gravy train of life." Sage said in his normal whimsical manner with straight face. One of Hector's eyes twitched in response, his teeth clenched tighter and it was all he could do but silently seethe, least he lunge and wrapped his paws around the bubble brained bastard's neck.

Sage then turned to Clover and said to her with tenderness, "Speaking of, I'd love to once again ride that train with you. When are you coming home?"

"I...you..." Clover found coherent words escaping her. She paused, narrowed her eyes and said firmly, "Go home, Sage."

"Oh, we're going now, cool." Sage said with delight.

"No, not us. _You, alone_. _I'm_ staying here to continue training Dr. S and _you're_ going home without me. Understand?" Clover said through clenched teeth, trying to restrain herself with great effort.

"No, I don't. Why must you continue to train him? From what I've just heard, it seems he already has the job covered." Sage argued.

"Cause while he has been successful so far, he's capable of much more and that's where I come in." Clover argued back, looking briefly over at Dr. S, who was taken aback by the unexpected praise.

"...Don't allow guilt to drown you, Clover." Sage warned her with audible concern.

"I'm not drowning!" Clover snapped at him, highly offended. "I'm taking steps to ensure that everyone will be safe instead of just cutting corners and going 'good enough' _again_!" She said the two words in the same doopy manner as before.

Sage looked at her for a moment, unconvinced, then said, "If that is what you wish...so, when do you think you'll come home?"

"I don't...I don't know, Sage. Just, tell everyone I'm fine, King Julien and his people are fine, and the work I have here and that I don't know when I'm coming back, okay?" Clover asked of him in frustration.

"Okay." Sage said to her, not satisfied but not wanting to argue with her anymore. He then spoke to his avian companion in his own hawk language. The great bird then took off with into the sky, taking Sage with him and the two of them up and away. Clover watched them go for a moment before looking back down and around at everyone still there.

"Clover?" King Julien started towards Clover, reaching out a paw in concern.

Clover looked to him with a pained expression and he could see that her eyes had grown misty. She looked to the crowd and said with her voice strained under the weight of guilt and anger and sorrow, "I'm sorry you lot had to hear that. What you've gone through, the pain you've endured, I know that pain don't just go away. You're still enduring it and you don't deserve to have it down played like that and made to look like it doesn't matter anymore and I'm sorry that he did...I'm sorry…." She then turned her back on everyone and ran off towards the jungle brush.

"Clover!" King Julien called out to her with great concern.

"Leave me alone!" Clover yelled back at him without looking back.

Julien started to go after her but Maurice grabbed his arm.

"Give her some space, your majesty." Maurice said firm and gentle, wanting nothing more then to comfort Clover too but had a feeling that she wouldn't welcome it, not at that moment at least.

"Maurice..." Julien was tempted to pull away and go after Clover anyways but between Maurice's urging and his own gut, he relented, figuring that maybe his friend was right. So the two of them and the rest of the crowd watched Clover run away until she disappeared into the jungle brush. It was then that Julien faced his subjects, unsure what to say but feeling that he had to say something. So he spoke to them while stumbling with the words themselves, the feeing behind them was sincere.

"I...what Clover said. You guys don't deserve to have all your suffering made out like it wasn't a big deal or it's not anymore, cause it still is a big deal. And your safety is a big deal too." But the crowd was hardly listening, more focused on Sage and Clover's words bouncing around in their brains.

"Uh, thanks King Julien. I'll...see ya later." Willie said absentmindedly, walking away. The rest followed suit until it was only King Julien, Maurice, and Mort, and Dr. S left to stare at where Clover's distressed form had disappeared.

…

About ten minutes later, King Julien was wandering about, calling out with paws cupped around his mouth, "Clover! Clover, where are you? Clover!"

Suddenly, he heard a familiar "Hiyah!", followed the sound of a loud crack followed by a lot of rustling and snapping and then a great big thud and the earth shaking under his feet. He ran towards the noise and soon found Clover panting, manic eyed, fists held out and feet spread apart in a fighting stance next to a downed tree.

"Clover!" He called out and rushed to her side.

"King Julien?" Clover said in surprise. She faced him and the blazing inferno in her eyes simmering down. Then she scowled and said firmly, "I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"Clover please, I just wanted to say thank you." King Julien said sincerely and Clover gave him a confused look in response. "Thank you for taking mine and the peoples pain seriously and trying to make sure we don't get hurt again, unlike some people." Julien narrowed his eyes and growled the last three words.

"...The way Sage acted. I mean, yes it was an accident but that doesn't change the fact that lemurs got hurt cause of _our_ _carelessness_ and then to act like I'm over reacting for trying to fix things, for making sure I don't leave you lot helpless, _again!?_ That's not over reacting! That's trying to learn from my mistakes to prevent more suffering and he just wants to let it go and pretend that what happened doesn't matter anymore! It does matter and he needs to grow up and face his mistakes like a man, Frank dammit!" Clover said with great offense on everyone's behalf including her own. She then went over and punched the closest upright tree, her fist leaving behind a crack in it's trunk.

"That's so Sage. Ignoring other people's pain and brushing it aside like it's nothing." Julien snarled, then added barely above a whisper. "Just like at your wedding."

"What did you say?" Clover asked, having heard Julien's voice but not his critical comment. Now, Julien could have tried to back pedal on it and leave the matter alone. He could have but he didn't.

"Remember how we all thought that Sage was dead in an unmarked grave, how you cried over him? And when it turned out that he was really alive, he just didn't bother to tell anyone that he had dug himself out _hours_ before and went to go pick up his fish friend? How he brushed your tears aside like they were nothing, even though he was the one who made you cry!? He treated your pain that he made you go through like it didn't matter, just like he just did with the people's cause he only cares about himself and-and you never should have married him!" King Julien argued with great conviction. Sage's dismissal towards the feelings of his peoples and Clover being the final straw that broke the dam that had been holding back his anger, now pouring out in cascades of rage wishing to swept up Sage and pull him away from Clover forever. Or Clover away from him.

"What did you say?" Clover said in stunned disbelief, hoping that she had heard her friend wrong.

"You heard me! Sage doesn't deserve you! You should have dumped his not sorry butt instead of marrying him but I get it! You were under the same stupid fog that we were but the fog has cleared and you're in your right mind again and you can see that Sage is horrible and you need to dump him!" King Julien argued.

"Wasn't in my right mind? Are you serious!?" Clover said with offense and disbelief.

"You said yourself you regretted marrying him!"

"I said I regret marrying him so fast, not that we got married period!"

"Oh please, you so regret marrying that self centered jerk, you just won't admit it!" King Julien said, so sure that he was right.

"Oh, oh, look whose talking? I seem to recall plenty of times you've been self centered, including my wedding! When you thought that you had lost Sage, instead of telling me the truth, you had a _robot_ built to fool me, that you were going to go ahead and let me marry!" Of course Clover was talking about King Julien commissioning Timo and Dr. S to build him FrankenSage.

King Julien was taken aback by this. He thought she wasn't angry at him about that anymore. "I...yes, okay, that was seriously messed up and wrong but you know what, at least I gave a better apology then Sage! His sorry was more a sorry you give when you step on somebody's foot, not making you cry cause you thought he was dead cause he ran off without telling anybody! Unless he did give you a better apology that I didn't hear? Tell me Sage apologized, really apologized to you for that day and I'll back off." For as angry as he was, deep down Julien still wanted to believe that for as much as he screwed up and could be an insensitive jerk, that Sage still put in efforts to be a good husband to Clover. That he at least tried to do good by her because he loves her. For Clover's sake. She deserved much better but it still would be better then the worse scenario that kept playing out in Julien's mind.

Clover's expression changed. The scowl slide off her face, her eyes lost their intensity as her focus shifted to the depths of her memory, searching desperately for a time when Sage expressed more remorse for his actions that day other then his calm and collected and like he forgot to take out the trash 'sorry'. She couldn't find any such expression of remorse and from the lost look on her face, Julien soon realized that.

"He's never really apologized to you, has he?" Julien said after some moments of silence, compassion for Clover and rage for Sage mixing together into a bitter cocktail.

"It doesn't matter." Clover said in an unconvincing manner, looking away from King Julien.

"What the...of course it matters! He doesn't care about your feelings or anybody's and you deserve better then that, Clover!" King Julien snapped.

"That's not true! Sage loves me along with every animal and plant and-and whatever! It's just that he's just a flipping moron whose obsessed with living in the present but that doesn't mean that he doesn't care!"

"Or that's just the excuse that he gives so he can get out of saying sorry!" Julien argued, then grumbled. "Like he always does."

"What did you say!?" Clover barked.

"You heard me! Sage goes on with his own 'I love everybody and everything and peace and love'," King Julien said the words in a mockingly happy way before switching back to his angry tone. "So he can get away with junk like _bailing_ on me with a ship full of _killer pirates_ or helping my uncle and your sister ty to _kill me and you_! Oh, oh, and how could I forget him almost _marrying_ said sister! And has he ever said he was sorry for any of that? Like, given you an actually good apology? Cause I sure haven't gotten one!"

"...I can't listen to anymore of this." Clover turned her back on Julien and ran off.

"Hey, where are you going? Hey! I'm not finished!" King Julien yelled after Clover but she didn't respond and soon, she had once again disappeared into the jungle. Julien stood trembling, breathing heavily, with fists balled at his sides for a moment or two until he screamed up at the sky,

"Aaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Before storming off in the opposite direction.

…

Clover made her way through the jungle like a hurricane, tearing apart and hurling about anything in her path. Crack went a tree trunk as her fist collided with it. Rocks flung or broken apart in explosions of pebbles scattering about the jungle floor. A tiny gecko sunning herself on a boulder suddenly startled awake and clinging on for dear life when Clover suddenly lifted the large rock off the ground and held it above her head. Her thoughts were like a swarm of enraged bees, both Sage and King Julien' words relentlessly stinging from all sides, clouding Clover's focus to the point where she was hardly conscious of her surroundings. Then suddenly, a familiar sounding voice called out,

"Stop!"

It was Dorothy's voice and it brought Clover back to the here and now, Looking about at her surroundings, Clover saw that she was facing the side wall of a hut and Dorothy was striding towards her with a determined scowl on her face, her paws balled up in fist at her sides. Clover became aware of the weight held in her own paws, looking up and seeing the large boulder she was holding.

"You put that rock down this instant!" Dorothy ordered, pointing a finger towards the ground while stomping her foot. Then she quickly added frantically while holding her paws up in stopping motions, "Slowly!"

Clover obeyed, putting the boulder slowly back unto the ground. The tiny trembling gecko's legs gave out and she spread out and flopped down unto the rock in relief.

"I know you must be feeling something awful right now. Heck, you have every right to be but that don't give you the right to take that out on my house!" Dorothy pointed back towards said house behind her and Clover realized with horror what she had also done to said house. "Or innocent geckos for that matter!" Dorothy added, having just noticed said gecko.

"Dorothy, I...I'm so sorry! I didn't see...I'm so mad at King Julien and Sage and was in my own head but that's no excuse and I'm sorry!" Clover said, mortified over what she had almost done, yet another home destroyed because of her. Then another thought struck, what if she had hurled the boulder into the hut and Dorothy and/or Ted had been inside? Clover covered her mouth with her paws and shook her head in growing horror and shame. What was wrong with her!?

"Whoa there, slow down, King Julien? Sage, I understand, I heard him too and I'm plenty mad at him myself but why King Julien?" Dorothy asked, confused and curious. It was true, she had been among the group of citizens who had ease dropped on Clover and Sage's earlier conversation.

Clover hesitated. She must Dorothy must have hated her like most everyone and therefore, probably wouldn't be sympathetic but she had all this rage inside that had to come out one way or another and venting about it would be a less destructive way. Her best opinion would be Maurice of course but no doubt King Julien would also be seeking him out to complain and she wasn't sure how helpful Mort, Dr. S, or Nurse Phantom would be. So with apprehension she told Dorothy,

"King Julien told me to dump Sage."

"...Oh." Was Dorothy's simple, stunned response. Truth be told, she wasn't sure how to respond.

"He accused Sage of being this inconsiderate jackass who doesn't care about anyone's feelings and then he dares bring up the wedding, which mind you, almost didn't happen because of Julien and I called him out on this and he has to the gall to turn it on Sage and..." Clover started ranting a mile a minute before Dorothy held up her paws in stopping motions and said,

"Whoa whoa, slow down there. Why don't we can go sit down and you can start from the beginning, okay?"

"Right, probably be easier to follow." Clover said in embarrassment. Then She and Dorothy went over and sat on the hut's front porch. Then Clover took a deep breath and proceeded to recount her conversation with King Julien at a more reasonable pace.

"I mean, the whole reason Sage came here in the first place was to check on me and all of you, to see if we were alright. It's just...Sage doesn't like to focus too much on the past. He says that it takes away from enjoying the present and to some degree, I can agree but the problem with Sage is, he takes that mentality too far, like he did today. It's wrong that he won't face his mistakes and you have every right to hate him for it but please, please try to understand that while he can be an insensitive prick and is being one right now, that doesn't mean that he doesn't care and I promise we'll have a _long talk_ when I get home and...and that's all I've got to say." Clover finished speaking her sincere piece, then proceeded to wait anxiously for Dorothy's response. Dorothy had remained silent and stone faced while listening to the recount and stayed silent for a few moments more, scrunching a scowl unto her face and crossing her arms before speaking.

"I'm still angry as heck but...Sage is your husband, you know him better then I do. If you say he cares then, I guess I'm willing to take your word on it." She said begrudgingly but still, it was a lot nicer response then Clover had been expecting.

"You're willing to believe the bitch that left you for dead?" Clover asked, nervous and skeptical.

"I'm...willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, about Sage I mean." Dorothy said, guarded. She had once been so sure that Clover didn't care if everyone in the kingdom lived or died but listening to her speaking to both herself and Sage had now left Dorothy unsure how to feel about her. She had some thinking to do. She did however add more openly and with more confidence, "I know King Julien went too far. In your right mind indeed." An edge creeped into her tone.

"I know! What gives him the right to tell me how to handle my marriage, that if I don't dump my husband at the drop of a hat, then I'm a...a..." Clover struggled to find a suitable word.

"A moron who doesn't know what's best for her? That you're too stupid to make your own decisions?" Dorothy offered bitterly.

"Exactly! And for Julien to act like he can make them for me, it ...it hurts." At the last two words, Clover's anger morphed into misery, the feeling of betrayal stabbing her like a crown of thorns wrapped around her heart.

"I know." Dorothy said gently. Seeing Clover going through an all too familiar pain made Dorothy's grievances towards her not matter in those moments. Part of her wanted to offer at least a comforting pat on the back but hesitated, in consideration of Clover's stance on personal space for both Clover's comfort level and Dorothy's fear of getting punched. Before she could think to ask, Clover said to her sincerely,

"Thanks. Thanks for listening and understanding despite...everything. Is there anyway I can repay you?"

Dorothy was taken aback by the gentleness and warmth she was displaying and didn't know to respond. She settled on, "Just try and control your temper better in the future alright?"

"Deal."

…..

Meanwhile, King Julien had gone over to Maurice's house to vent to Maurice about the confrontation between him and Clover.

"How could you say that?!" Maurice demanded to know, furious.

"Cause Clover deserves better and you know it!" Was Julien's impassioned response, not understanding why Maurice wasn't on his side.

"Of course I do! You think you're the only one whose been having doubts about their relationship lately? I've been having a whole heap of them and I'm with you, Clover does deserve then that-that inconsiderate jerk!" Maurice told him, the fires of rage towards Sage blazing within his own amber eyes.

In the days following that first time, Clover had gone on to vent more about Sage being passive aggressive about her new and approved more violent training sessions and how much she and their subjects loved it. Not saying anything upfront about wanting to stop it but watching the sessions what Clover swore was a critical gaze and shaking his head in disapproval and when she confronted him about it, he started spouting something along the lines of,

'Do you truly want to shepherd our people down a road paved with teeth and blood, a road called violence road? A road so easy to travel down but the farther you go, the less exits there are to get off." Or something like that, Clover couldn't remember it word for word but she knew that he was basically 'warning' her to stop and think about what she was doing, if she really wanted to continue leading their people in such violent activities, that it might lead to less controlled violence. When she point blank asked him if he was trying to make her change her mind about the training regimen, Sage went off on another weird roundabout spiel and Clover got frustrated and that was the end of that conversation.

According to Clover, several of their subjects had told her that Sage had tried to get them to change their minds as well.

Clover had absolutely taken things too far in the past (nobody who knew her would deny that) but this wasn't her beating up innocent animals over perceived threats who didn't have a fighting chance. This was her sparing against trained warriors who loved fighting just as she did and she had a point about letting out pent up aggression in a controlled environment.

The only concerns Maurice had were whether or not they had a doctor close by and/or if anyone knew first aid. Clover told him about the medicine man right there in the village and the fact that part of standard warrior training for mountain lemurs required at least basic knowledge of first aid and that Clover was learning some as well. That was more then enough to satisfy Maurice.

But apparently not enough for Sage.

Maurice could be more understanding of Sage having issue with the lessons if he was willing to be open and direct about his discomfort. Willing to have an adult conversation with Clover and their people, talk things through until they reached an understanding and compromise. But no, he had to be a passive aggressive jerk about it and that's what made Maurice mad.

Between that and the wedding, it had forced Maurice to rethink his previous notions about Sage and his and Clover relationship. The new picture that was being painted on the canvas of his mind wasn't a pretty one and now, with Sage's newest dismissal of Clover's feelings and dismissing the feelings of everyone in King Julien's kingdom and now knowing that he had never given Clover a decent apology for his pre-wedding stunt made that picture all the more uglier by the minute.

"Then what are you yelling at me for!?" King Julien demanded to know.

"Cause you were way out of line! It's Clover's relationship and it's her decision whether or not she wants to try and work things out, not yours!"

"But Sage is all wrong for her and she needs to know it!"

"It's up to Clover to figure that out for herself and you need to respect that! Not tell her that she made a terrible mistake cause she 'wasn't in her right mind' and in a 'stupid fog'." Maurice quoted Julien mockingly with air quotes. "Implying that if she doesn't dump Sage now, that must mean that she's stupid now, too stupid to know what's good for her but you do cause 'you're oh so much smarter'!" Again, Maurice used and his mocking tone and could see the confidence on Julien's face waver.

"I...I didn't mean it like that..." King Julien said low and stunned as he rewinded and played back his and Clover's argument to see if he was coming off that way.

"It sure sounds that way to me and I bet you it sounds that way to Clover." Maurice said bluntly harsh and King Julien knew that he was right, which casted Clover's anger towards him in clearer, harsher light.

"I just want Clover to be happy but I just made her more sad, didn't I?" Julien asked sadly, his earlier conviction deflated like a popped ballon.

"Yes, you did." Maurice said gruffly. Then he let out a long, tired sigh and continued more gently, "Look, I know you love Clover, I love her too but Clover is a grown lemur who can make her own choices and that includes her relationships and we have to accept that. Even if we know she could do better." He grumbled the last sentence.

"Augh! I don't wanna treat Clover like an idiot but what am I supposed to say? What do I say about her and Sage cause I don't think I can say nothing but I don't want to hurt her anymore then she already is hurting but I don't think I can lie and say I'm cool with Sage and I don't want to and-and...what do I say?" King Julien asked of his friend in desperation.

"Just...tell Clover that despite your own feelings about Sage, that you realize that you went too far and that you respect her right to make her own decisions about her relationship and that you'll be there for her no matter what she decides. You think you can do that?" Maurice asked cautiously hopeful that Julien would say yes but ready to yell at him some more if he said no.

King Julien took a deep breath and said with as much conviction as he could muster. "Okay, I will. For Clover."

…..

King Julien and Maurice found Clover sitting on the edge of Ted and Dorothy's porch, staring off into space with an expression of stone. They were surprised to find her there of all places but that was a question for later. They had more important matters then and there.

"Clover?" Maurice said cautiously. Clover turned at the sound of his voice.

"Maurice?" Clover said in surprise. Good old kind and sensible Maurice who would be another lemur sympathetic of her troubles. The thought brought the beginnings of a smile on her lips and then she noticed King Julien and scowled instead, her tone growing harsher as she said to him, "What do you want?"

King Julien winced and then said nervously, "I came to apologize but I can come back later if now's not a good time."

"...Go on." Clover said skeptically.

King Julien took a deep breath and then spoke with tenderness, gaining confidence as he went. "I'm sorry for treating you like an idiot. You're not an idiot, you're one of the smartest lemurs I know. Smart enough to make your own decisions and I shouldn't have gone all agro on you about your decision to want and talk things through with Sage. It's your life, your marriage and I should respect your right to make your own choices concerning that marriage, even the ones I don't like. I'm sorry for not respecting that right but I want to now. I will now and I'll there for you no matter what happens with you and Sage."

Clover wanted to believe that her friend's apology was sincere, that he would be true to his word. She wanted to believe that but had her doubts. She had to know for sure, so she started to say calm and collected like,

"Thank you, your majesty. Your apology means a lot and speaking of, I assure you that Sage and I will have a long talk when I return home. I'll calmly explain to him that what happened to you all still matters a great deal and him not wanting to face that is insulting to all the pain and suffering that everyone has gone through because of our wedding. That you lot are still dealing with the consequences of us being stupid and that he needs to own up to his mistakes and face them like a man, Frank damn it!" As she spoke, Clover's blood started to boil and by the time she got to the last few words, she ended saying them louder and harsher then intended. Seeing her friend's concerned expressions caused Clover's body to stiffen and she loudly cleared her throat before continuing to speak, desperately trying to mimic the calm and composed tone she had started off with, "Once he's realized that, we'll come back here and he'll apologize to you all."

"But what if he won't apologize?" King Julien blurted out in distress and anger.

"King Julien!" Maurice scolded him in frustration.

"He will!" Clover threw back in retaliation.

"But what if he doesn't? Or if he does, it's just like the one he gave you at your wedding?" King Julien could not, would not hold back his justified concern for Clover's happiness or his rage towards Sage. Clover, Maurice, nobody was going to stop him from speaking the truth.

"You shut up. He will give the best apology, even if I have to drag it out of him." Clover snarled, trying to keep her composure, which was easier said then done.

"Oh great, you have to make him see that he's being a jerk. What a great guy." King Julien said with bluntly bitter sarcasm.

"Oh, oh, and look whose talking! I know Maurice had to do the same with you, just like he always does!" Clover pointed out.

"Not always! I've figured out I've been a jerk on my own...just not this time..." Julien's fury faltered and then he doubled down. "What does that have to do with Sage being a horrible person?"

"Cause you and Sage have at least one thing in common. You're both oblivious morons who have to be smacked over the head before you realize your mistakes and be forced to do anything about it!"

"I don't _always_ have to be forced to face my mistakes and are you seriously comparing me to Sage _again_?!"

"Yes, cause you're demanding that I break up with him for the same crap that you pull all the time!"

"I...at least I mean it when I say sorry!"

"You just said you would respect my right to run my life like an intelligent adult and yet here you are, continuing to treat me like a stupid child!"

"You're not stupid! I know you're not! You're smart, Clover, smart enough that I know that you know deep down that I'm right and that you deserve better! You just won't admit it!"

"YOU SHUT UP! You don't know me, you don't know Sage, and you certainly don't know our relationship and I am done listening to you pretending that you do! Get out, get out of my sight now!" Clover screeched, pointing a finger away from the house.

King Julien started to argue but before any words could come out of his mouth, he caught sight of Maurice's glaring gaze, amber eyes threatening to burn him then and there if he didn't shut up and did as he was told. So Julien shut his mouth, took one last look at Clover, narrowed jungle eyes ready to pounce if he opened it again. Julien glared back, then turned and started to walk away.

Maurice didn't move, his gaze lingering on Clover. Then he said to her with gentle concern, "Clover...would you rather I stay here or let you have your space?" King Julien stiffened and stopped but didn't turn around while Clover was taken aback and then her expression softened.

"Maurice...stay..." Was her soft and grateful answer. Maurice took one last scathing glace at King Julien before walking back to her. King Julien looked over his shoulder to watch his companion go and felt a painful twinge in his heart. He then quickly turned back, deepened his scowl and walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

King Julien walked alone for a short while, deep in brooding thoughts, when suddenly he was snapped out of them by the sound of nearby shouting. It sounded like it was coming from multiple voices and a jolt of fear rippled through out Julien's body, fear that the fossa had come back and the shouting was the panicked cries of his people. He raced towards the commotion but when he reached the source, he found that it wasn't his peoples who were making it at all and the shouts weren't of terror but of joy sounded out by none other then the New York Freaks gathered together in a small clearing.

The penguins were giving each other high fives (or high fins as they called it) while the chimps were swinging from branch to branch, tree to tree that surrounded the clearing, happily hooing and howling as they went. All while two of the larger freaks were linked arm in arm, their feet light as they skipped around in circles, laughing as they went while Marty gave out triumphant woohoos and boo yaws while turning cartwheel after cartwheel. This while Alex was leaping and bounding about, his feet light as feathers as they carried him around the clearing and up into the air where the eager lion shouted out yes multiple times in unbridled joy and triumph. Then he grabbed a tree trunk and swung himself around with one foot on the trunk while the other stuck out while Alex sung a song with one name coming up over and over again. New York.

"King Julien!" King Julien turned to see Timo, who he hadn't noticed at first. The eccentric scientist was rushing towards him, he too wearing a wide grin. "King Julien, it's finished! The New Yorker's transportation is finished! They can finally go home!" He said joyfully followed by a gleeful snort laugh.

"Our round monochromatic friend is right." Skipper had finished his high fins for the moment to waddle over. "First thing tomorrow morning, we're blowing this popsicle stand!" He said with a smirk.

"And this nightmare will finally be over!" Alex paused his singing to shout out in triumph, then tilted his head back to give a loud manic laugh.

"That...that's fantastic." King Julien said, not sounding as enthusiastic as he had hoped. He was sincerely happy for the freaks but unfortunately, that happiness was overshadowed by a dark cloud. A dark cloud called Sage, who had stolen Julien's happiness away just as he had stolen Clover.

.

.

.

Wait, what? No!

Sage may have been a joy sucking leech but he hadn't stolen Clover. Clover couldn't be stolen because she didn't belong to anyone. Except maybe herself. Yeah, she belonged to herself and it had been her choice to marry Sage, just as it was her choice to want and give him another chance.

.

.

.

"King Julien?"

"Huh?" King Julien was pulled out of his musings by Timo's voice, the royal scientist looking at him with concern, asking,

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, what gives Ringtail? With all the trouble you've gone through, I thought you'd be over the moon." Skipper pointed out.

"I...I'm ecstatic. See?" King Julien curled his lips into a smile that was much too wide and fooled no one.

"What horrible thing did I miss this time?" Timo asked point blank, referencing the fact that he had left Clover and Sage's wedding reception before the infamous fossa attack.

"None of ya business, you nosy fathead!" King Julien snapped at him. "You just focus on making sure that _this _machine doesn't blow up, got it!?"

Timo leaned away from him and winced, stuttering timidly, "Well a-actually, th-that's the reason the New Yorker's ar-aren't leaving today. I want to go over some last minute tune ups and-and double checks and..."

"Then do it already!" King Julien barked, causing Timo to wince some more. Julien let out an irritated sigh, then turned to face Skipper, his tone now friendlier. "We need to celebrate. We need...we need a party. Yeah! This kingdom hasn't had a good party since...in forever and this is the perfect occasion to have one, not just to celebrate you freaks but-but Dr. S too and everybody not getting eaten! Yeah, let's do it! Let's throw a party!" King Julien got more excited as he went, ending in an eager proclamation.

Timo, Skipper and the rest of the New York animals were a little confused by the king's mood to say the least. As were King Julien's subjects as he threw them right away into party preparations.

"Uh, Kj? Why are you throwing a party instead of, you know, being there for Clover in her time of need?" Ted questioned his king as he was watching him stir cake mix. "Being a shoulder to cry on as she vents about Sage and all?"

"...She doesn't want my shoulder. She'd rather have Maurice's." Was King Julien snide remark as he looked away from Ted and crossed his arms.

"What did you say to her?" Ted accused him point blank.

"None of your business, Ted!" King Julien snapped, turning on him. "Just keep stirring, we're gonna need a whole lot of cake! Tons of Cake! Cake out the wazoo! Chop, Chop!" He ordered, clapping his hands together. Then he turned this way and that to look at his other subjects, telling them,

"More streamers! More balloons! And where's Horst!? Can't have a rocking party without a dj, so where's the dj!?"

Julien continued to bark orders and his confused and concerned subjects obeyed them, keeping a frantic pace in their preparations for the night, which came in no time.

Cakes of various sizes and flavors were spread out on multiple long tables with multitudes of other delicious treats with multiple clusters of colorful balloons tied to the table's ends. A rainbow of streamers were stung up between the trees, with the over head lights shining through them creating a kaleidoscope of colors illuminating the dance floor. Which was empty, the party guests standing on the sidelines in the shadows, their moods clashing with the upbeat, move your feet music playing around them. Horst, the one playing said music, took a long sip of his beverage and wondered how much longer he would have to the job before King Julien would let him go home already. This while the New Yorkers and Dr. S stood on the sidelines as well, as uncomfortable as the quests that they were guarding.

When Mort had first heard about the party, he had gone straight to King Julien and demanded to know how he could throw a party at a time like that, when Clover was so miserable. When King Julien was too vague and evasive with his answers, Mort had left him in frustration and had gone searching for Clover to hear her side of things. He had gone to the hospital first, since she had been staying there the past few days, but found only Dr. S and Nurse Phantom. Mort told them what he knew and then all three of them had gone out looking for Clover. They found her at Ted and Dorothy's house along with Dorothy and Maurice. The two groups swapped information, one told about Clover and King Julien's argument while the other was told about the party.

"Well I for one am not going!" Mort had declared with the others voicing their agreements. Except Clover, who shouted firmly and on the edge of panic,

"Yes you are!" At everyone's confused looks, Clover wilted in embarrassment but held firm as she said to Dr. S, more composed this time, "Dr. S, you have to go."

"What, why? If this is about security, the freaks will be there, everyone will be safe with them." Dr. S argued.

"They'll be safer if you're there too!" Clover snapped at him, then composed herself, continuing to argue more calm like while remaining firm, "Especially since it's been a while since the last fossa attack. Consider it part of your training. You're going to need to guard parties and other events in the future, might as well start with this one."

Dr. S studied Clover's face, especially her eyes. Her determined, fearful, and hopeful eyes imploring with him. Dr. S let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Thank you." Clover's demeanor relaxed as she spoke to him soft and sincere.

So Dr. S had gone off in search of King Julien and when he found him, when the lemur king asked him to attend the party, the snake doctor had said yes but not without telling him that the only reason he was going was because of Clover. Clover being concerned over everyone's safety even when she was so miserable didn't surprise King Julien at all. Clover was always looking out for them all, even when they were being colossal jerks towards her. And that included King Julien himself.

Julien almost dropped everything then and there. Almost cancelled the party, almost asked Dr. S where Clover was so he could rush to her and say that he was sorry. He almost did those things but then he remembered how much of a colossal jerk Sage had been towards Clover, dismissing her feelings and those of Julien's peoples. Dismissing her tears during their wedding. That got Julien's blood boiling once more, fueling his fury as he continued to bark orders until it came time for the party

King Julien did come up with a plan to, once the party was in full swing, to sneak among the crowd and whisper the fact that Clover had been worried about their safety that night all stealthy like. Julien knew deep down it wasn't nearly good enough and knew what the right thing to do was but again, his thoughts turned to Sage and his conscience was shoved into the closet of his mind. So stealth mode on the dance floor it was.

Now if the quests would get out on said dance floor!

"Come on, peoples! We're celebrating! So get out on the dance floor already!" King Julien begged, grabbing Willie's paws and trying to pull him towards said dance floor but Willie wasn't budging.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked. King Julien let go. "Clover's one of your best friends, why are you partying instead of comforting her?"

"I...what do you care?! You hate Clover!" King Julien pointed out defensively.

"Yeah but you don't! You really care about her, so why are you here instead of being with her when she needs you?" Willie's question took King Julien aback for a moment.

"Cause he gave her the cold, hard facts about her marriage, that's what." Pancho piped in from his place by the snack table. "I couldn't help but overhear you two earlier." He told King Julien.

"You mean ease dropping!" King Julien snapped at him.

"Well excuse me for having ears!" Pancho snapped back, offended. "If you didn't want anybody to hear yas, then maybe don't scream loud for them to hear yas all the way over in the Mountain Lemur Kingdom!"

"Uh, Pancho? What do you mean by cold and hard truth?" Willie asked. Pancho turned to him.

"That Sage was a grade a jackass today, brushing aside Clover's feelings and our feelings and everything that's _his fault_ just like he did at his wedding! Making me dig all over for him cause we thought he was buried alive cause he didn't tell anyone he had already dug himself out1 And when the bastard _finally_ makes an appearance, he gives Clover, who need I remind you thought that he had _d__ied_, an apology like one you give for using up all the hot water! That he spews all his peace loving space case crap to get out of taking responsibly for his actions cause he doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself and that Clover should dump his not sorry ass to the curb if she knows what's good fo her! You wanna know what her response was? She defends the asshole, making up bullshit excuses like 'he does care, he just takes living in the present too far'." Pancho said the words mockingly in air quotes.

"Well, I wouldn't put it tha..." King Julien started to say when the cheery music that had been playing suddenly stopped with a rough record scratch. Heads turned to Horst, who had turned the volume on low to hear Pancho. He put down his beverage, left his dj station and came on over, his narrowed blue eyes ice cold.

"Are you saying Clover is defending Sage not giving a damn that we almost all died!?" Horst demanded to know from Pancho.

"That's not what she's defending!" King Julien protested.

"Yes, it is!" Pancho argued.

"I knew it! I knew it! This proves that she devil doesn't give a damn about us!" Horst shouted in outrage at King Julien.

"Clover's not a devil and she does care, so much that she's furious at Sage for downplaying our pain and she's going to be make him apologize! She just wants to give him a chance to redeem himself cause...cause she knows that he's weird and that he likes to live in the now and wants to focus more on the fact that-that we're all okay. Yes, he needs to face the past and take responsibility and need to be coaxed to do that in this case but that doesn't mean he doesn't care!" King Julien said in defense. Remembering Clover's comparison of himself and Sage and thinking about it more and more, the more Julien realized that maybe Clover was right. He did screw up a lot and sometimes someone had to shove him in the right direction for him to do take responsibility for his actions but at the end of the day, he still cared. And it had been the same for Sage when Koto took over and Clover had to convince him not to just run away but fight back. And he did and after it was all said and done, he took responsibility as the mountain lemur's new king. It had taken some coaxing but in the end, he had done the right thing. Maybe it would happen again. Maybe he would see the error of his ways and apologize. Maybe. Maybe not.

"Is that the lies she's feed you?" Was Horst's response.

"Or she truly believes she can change the bastard cause she's a hopelessly stupid broad in love." Was Pancho's.

"Clover's not lying and she's not stupid!"

"Why not? You and Maurice have been going on for days how love made all of us stupid, so why can't it be doing the same for Clover?" Pancho asked, looking around briefly at his fellow citizens as he did.

"Cause...cause that would imply she's too stupid to know what's good for her but we do..." King Julien repeated Maurice's words, feeling sick to his stomach knowing that while he hadn't said the same words, he had still dismissed Clover's feelings and intelligence in the same manner as Pancho. That he already knew this thanks to both Maurice and Clover but had let his anger and pride dismiss one friend's valuable advice and farther hurt another. Let himself throw a party to distract himself from how much of an inconsiderate jerk he himself had been.

"Oh, I'm not implying, that's exactly what I'm saying!"

"You don't know what's best for Clover! I don't know what's best for her! Clover knows what's best for herself and if she wants to sit down with Sage and have an adult conversation with him, then that's her choice! We don't have to like it but we need to respect it cause Clover's more then smart enough to make her own choices, even the ones we don't like! And we have no right to call her stupid for making them!" King Julien told him with great conviction. Pancho sneered in response but before he could come up with a comeback, Horst spoke up.

"You're right, King Julien. Clover is smart enough to make her own choices." He said calm and composed, giving King Julien the beginnings of hope. "Like how she choose to betray Mary Ann, betray us all cause she's a gold digger, power hungry bitch!" His composure crumbled, his blue gaze once again turned bitter cold and his words were like icicles sharpened to a fine point, piercing through the king's heart.

Mortified gasps rippled through out the crowd. King Julien's eyes first went wide as two suns, then narrowed into a scorching scowl aimed directly at Horst.

"Take that back." Julien said dangerously low.

"No!" Horst said firmly.

"I said Take. That. Back!" Julien snarled.

"No I won't!" Horst snapped back. "It's the truth whether you like it or not! Clover doesn't care about you or Maurice or anyone but herself and what she wants and she wants to have it all! Her crown and arm candy husband and big powerful army while keeping you as an ally! Oh, she may put on a good show yelling at Sage, seemingly compassionate towards our pain but it's all an act cause at the end of the day, she's _not_ leaving him and giving up all her new found power and _once again_, the two of them will get away with treating us all like trash and you wanna know why? Cause you are too blinded by love for that bitch to see that she's using you!"

King Julien screamed and lunged for Horst, toppling him over and pinning him to the ground where Julien then proceeded to start beating on him while continuing to bellow out his wrathful war cry. Horst answered with his own cries, desperate ones for help and yelps of pain as punch after punch collided into his person, as he writhed underneath Julien's weight, trying to escape but to no avail.

"Hey! Get off of him! Get off of him" Pancho called out, rushing over and grabbing King Julien around his midsection and managing to pull him up and off Horst, pinning the enraged king's arms to his sides all while Julien fought and squirmed against him to break free. After some seconds of squirming and Horst was able to crawl a good distance away, Julien turned on Pancho and bit down hard on his arm. Pancho cried out in pain, letting go of his hold of King Julien to grab unto his injured arm. After shutting his eyes and wincing in pain, Pancho opened them to shoot amber daggers at King Julien, screaming,

"You son of a bitch!" Pancho charged towards King Julien, sending them both down to the ground, where they proceeded to roll and bite and claw at each other all while screaming bloody murder.

"Sweet sassafras! Somebody do something!" Ted cried out in desperation as he and the other party guests watched the fight in shock and horror.

"Alright, break it up!" The crowd parted as Gloria made her way through to the livid lemurs. Then she grabbed King Julien in one hand and Pancho in the other, spreading her arms out to keep them apart as they both twisted and turning, trying to break from her iron grip. Then Gloria addressed the crowd, proclaiming,

"That's it, party's over!"

….

Ding

Ding

"Nurse Phantom, get out here!"

Nurse Phantom heard the dinging of the bell at the front desk and Dr. S's agitated voice as he rushed down the hospital hall. When he stepped into the waiting room, he saw Dr. S holding King Julien with his tail and Gloria holding Pancho and Horst in each arm. All three lemurs looked furious, with ears pinned back and Horst and Pancho glaring in King Julien's direction, who was returning the expression in kind. All three lemurs also sported injuries, with King Julien having long slashes across his body with blood trickling out, clumping his matted dusty fur. The beginnings of a bruise was forming around his left eye and a thin line of blood was running down from a cut in his forehead. Pancho also had the beginnings of a black eye and Horst's forehead had a cut as well along with a split lower lip. Nurse Phantom didn't see anything obvious from the neck down but with their respective red and black fur and the candle light not being ideal, he knew that he might spot other injuries yet. Dr. S and Gloria looked physically fine, each wearing glares that told Nurse Phantom that they were beyond done with their charges.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" Nurse Phantom asked in concern, looking longer at King Julien, who turned his face away, unable to meet his gaze. No one answered right away.

"What? _Now_ you have nothing to say?" Gloria questioned Pancho and Horst irritably.

"Well apparently a lemur can't tell it like it is without this guy going all agro on ya!" Pancho said, pointing a thumb out towards King Julien.

"Telling big fat lies is more like it!" King Julien snapped back.

"The only one telling lies is your previous Clover." Horst snarled, voice dripping with bitter venom especially on Clover's name.

"Shut up!" King Julien snapped.

"Enough!" Nurse Phantom shouted in frustration. "Look, let's get everyone patched up and maybe by the time we're done, _some__one_ will have told me what happened!"

So Gloria left King Julien, Pancho, and Horst in the doctor and nurse team's care and while the trio was being treated, Nurse Phantom was told of the events leading up their injuries.

"This is all my fault." King Julien said sadly when the tale had been told, slowly shaking his now bandaged head in shame. "I'm the one who pushed Clover about Sage. I'm the one who first called her stupid for wanting to talk to him. Now I've convinced Pancho and I'm sure other peoples too and...and what have I done?" He hide his face behind his paws.

"You didn't convince me of nothing! I figured Clover's being a dumb love struck broad on my own." Pancho told him as he sat in a chair and held an ice pack to his eye.

"Clover's not dumb, I am!" King Julien snapped at him. "A big dummy jerk who threw a party instead of apologizing and being there for my friend, whose reputation is even worse now thanks to me!" Sorrow mixed with anger into a bitter cocktail and Julien once again hung his head in shame.

"Your own reputation isn't looking so rosy right now either, not after what you just did." Was Horst's comment from his seat on the examination table, finding some satisfaction in that fact. Also earning him glares from Dr. S and Nurse Phantom and a nod of agreement from Pancho.

"And I deserve it, not Clover!" Was King Julien's earnest response.

Horst started to say a comeback, then shut his mouth, the shooting pain rippling through his ribs telling him loud and clear that it wasn't worth it.

After having their wounds examined, cleaned, and bandaged, Dr. S and Nurse Phantom sent Pancho and Horst away while telling King Julien to stay.

So Pancho and Horst walked out where the humid night air hung thick on their fur and the mums of insects filled their eardrums. Horst looked up at the moon shining brightly in the thick inky sky and his first thought was of Mary Ann, wondering if at that moment in time she was looking up at it too. The thought that came after he shared with Pancho.

"You know I wasn't talking about King Julien being blinded by _platonic_ love, right? I meant he's hopelessly _in love_ with Clover."

"Oh yeah, I think everyone got that memo." Pancho responded. Then he paused and added, "Well, most everyone.", looking over his shoulder back towards the hospital.

Back at said hospital, Dr. S and Nurse Phantom went to a corner of the examination room and whispered to each other so that King Julien wouldn't hear them.

"What do you think? Think he's learned his lesson?" Dr. S asked his friend, skeptical.

"It sounds like it." Was Nurse Phantom's more hopeful but still a tad skeptical answer. He figured there was one way to find out. "I could go see if Clover's willing to talk to him?" He suggested cautiously.

Dr. S looked over to King Julien, who was still sulking, then back at Nurse Phantom. "Yeah, go ahead and do that."

"I'll be back." Nurse Phantom said, walking to the door that lead into the hall of the hospital. When he opened said door,

"Ow!"

"Mort?" Nurse Phantom opened the door the rest of the way and saw Mort on the floor rubbing his head with Maurice, Clover, and Dorothy standing around him. This pulled King Julien out of his lamenting thoughts and he walked on over.

"Clover..." He said to his dear friend. He wanted to say so many things to her but found the words were getting all jumbled up and breaking apart like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, a really big one that he was having a very hard time putting together. Then he noticed Dorothy among the group. "Dorothy, what are you doing here?" He asked her, genuinely confused. He figured that all the guys were there offering moral support to Clover but Dorothy too? Didn't she hate Clover like most all the other peoples in the kingdom?

"Just helping out another lemur, unlike some people." Was Dorothy's answer as she glared red hot daggers at King Julien. This took him aback, as he had not been expecting that response or attitude and he stared at her for a moment before hanging his head in shame, knowing who she was talking about and knowing that she was right.

"How much did you hear?" Dr. S asked the easing dropping group but especially Clover.

"Enough to know how the party went." Clover answered bluntly while looking King Julien's way. "King Julien?" Julien met her gaze and she told him point blank, "Pancho is right about one thing. He would be judging me no matter what, he didn't need you for that. Nor do the others, so there's no need to apologize for that. As for everything else..." Clover paused, then continued to ask him while trying not to show how nervous and hopeful she was but Julien could still hear it loud and clear, "Do you really mean it this time, about respecting my decisions cause I haven't changed my mind?"

King Julien continued to meet Clover's gaze as he spoke to her gently and sincerely. "The truth is, I'm still angry with Sage and it's going to take a lot for me to forgive him but I never should have treated you like you're stupid for wanting to give him a chance to be forgiven...Wait, what? Ugh, what I mean is, I shouldn't have pressured you to dump Sage. I should have trusted your judgement. You're not stupid, you know Sage can be _really stupid_ and sometimes needs a push to take action sometimes but at the end of the day, he still cares. Like me. I knew I was being a jerk and yet I went right on being horrible and I'm sorry it took Pancho and Horst being horrible for me to do anything about it. Horst and so many peoples have been dismissing my judgement of you, saying that you don't care about me or anyone and that I'm too stupid to realize it and I shouldn't have done the same with you and Sage. I have my issues with Sage, big time, but you love him and your feelings for him matter much more then mine and I promise to respect those feelings in the future."

Clover was silent for a moment or two, looking at Julien with an expression of stone, emotions hidden within the jungle of her eyes. Then she spoke calmly while still clearly showing her hurt, "It hurts that you couldn't trust me. I know you care and that you're worried for me but the last thing I need is for you to start acting like my overprotective dad. I don't need a dad, I need a friend who will trust me to make my own choices." She then said softly, "Thank you for finally trusting me." She then closed the gap between them and gave Julien a warm hug. After his initial shock, Julien gladly hugged her back.

…

Timo, the penguins and chimps had built a blimp. It's passenger car welded together from scrap metal found in The Cove of Wonders while the balloon was stitched together into a mixed matched patchwork made from old bed sheets and other various scraps of cloth. It wasn't the prettiest or fanciest mode of transportation but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it could fly, having been flown the previous day on a test run (at Timo's insistence). Though the real test would be whether or not it could make it across the sea and bring the New Yorkers back to their beloved city.

The vessel cast a large shadow over The Cove of Wonders and the large crowd gathered around it, who were waiting in anticipation to see their long stayed guests off on the next leg of their long journey.

First up were the penguins, smiling and waving at the crowd as they proudly waddled towards their creation. Next came the chimps also waving and stepping lively. Last came the largest of the bunch, all four moving happily to the booty shaking beat that King Julien had playing for the occasion. As they all walked, the crowd threw flowers their way and cheered, some out of genuine happiness for their temporary protectors who they were eternally grateful for while others were thrilled to be finally rid of them, seeing them as destructive ingrates that everyone would be better off without.

King Julien was in the first camp, cheering loudly and jumping for genuine joy now that his heart wasn't so heavy. He wore a true warm smile as he came towards the blimp and his reluctant allies.

"On behalf of the entire kingdom, I want to say thank you, freaks. I know this hasn't been the most...ideal arrangement." King Julien started to say, then got uncomfortable. Then composed himself and continued to say sincerely, "But seriously though, thank you all for helping us out. May your journey be smooth sailing and may you get to enjoy your big apples once again." The New York animals looked at each in confusion over that last part while Maurice shook his head in amusement. Then Marty stepped forward and said awkwardly,

"Uh, thanks Julien and...yeah, thanks for letting us crash with you guys and Timo's help. Even if things did get kinda messed up there. Speaking of, good luck with...you know." He nodded his head towards where Clover and Dr. S were skirting the edge of the crowd with several lemurs throwing non too friendly looks Clover's way.

"What are you...oh. Oh." King Julien turned that way too and it took him a moment but then he understood. He turned back to Marty and rubbed the back of his neck."Yeah, gonna need a whole lot of that. Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. So long, farewell, goodbye. Now let's _finally_ blow this joint!" Skipper said, stepping into the passenger car of the blimp with a hop and a skip.

"Smell ya never, fuzz buckets!" Was Alex's thrilled farewell before following the penguin's lead and leaping into the vessel. Everyone else said their own quick goodbyes and hopped on board as well. And when all it's intended passengers were aboard, the blimp took off and rose up, up into the air and then glided across the morning sky. King Julien was among those who kept watching long after take off, watching the homeward bound vessel grow ever smaller until it was gone.

While animals ate from the celebratory food spread (aka all the leftovers from the previous night's party) Clover skirted the sidelines of the crowd, keeping eyes and ears peeked for any possible signs of fossa. A growl, a howl, a long furry tail snaking around the surrounding brush. She didn't catch anything of that nature but her ears did pick up surrounding conversation.

"I don't know, Pancho. I feel kinda bad for Clover." She heard Willie saying.

"I don't. If she's too stupid to accept the truth and leave that bastard, then I ain't crying for her." Was Pancho's argument. Clover clenched her teeth and her fist and her fur began to bristle.

"Come on Pancho, have a heart. Clover really needs some compassion right now." Was Xixi's argument.

"Oh, you want me to show concern for Clover? Like how she showed it for us when she left with that...that wook!?" Pancho snapped and Clover felt that now familiar pang of stabbing shame in her heart. And also confusion.

"...I don't know what that word means." Willie said.

Neither did Clover but she didn't stick around to find out, moving out of earshot of that conversation and soon picking up another, stopping to watch and listen.

"Welp, the freaks are gone, so when it is gonna be Clover's turn?" Tammy was saying to Becca and Dorothy.

"Yeah, go back to your precious man candy and army why don't ya." Was Becca's comment.

"Lay off of her, you two." Dorothy scolded them.

"I will not and what's with you? I recall you hating Clover just as much as the rest of us but now you're defending her? What gives?" Tammy demanded to know, looming over Dorothy and giving the smaller lemur a dirty scrutinizing eye. Dorothy wilted under the harsh gaze and Clover almost rushed over to stand between the two lemurs. But before she could, Dorothy scowled, straighten up and spoke nervously but still firm, holding her ground and eye contact with Tammy as she did.

"I just realized that maybe we all have been too hard on Clover, that maybe it was really a horrible, stupid accident..."

"Oh no you don't!" Becca interrupted. "Now I can admit that maybe, _maybe_ most of us were made plum dumb by the wedding but Clover? No, no no, she knew _exactly _what she was doing cause she is a gold digging, power hungry bi..."

"Whoa there girl, you might wanna slow down!" Tammy interrupted, holding a paw out in a stopping motion. "I would think before you say that last word least King Julien hears you. You don't wanna end up with your butt whooped like Horst."

"King Julien wouldn't hit a woman!" Dorothy argued in outrage.

"No, he would get Clover to do it for him!" Was Tammy's.

"No he wouldn't, not just for talking! King Julien has heard _plenty_ of lemurs bad mouthing Clover and he hasn't had any of them beaten up!" Dorothy implored, desperate for them to see reason.

"Except Horst when he snapped last night!" Becca snapped. "Face it, King Julien is _done_ with his and Clover's 'haters' and he'll do anything to shut us up!" She used mocking air quotes for the one word.

"This has gone on long enough!" Clover thought to herself, taking a step forward. She wasn't going to stand for such slander against her friend! But before she could take another step…

"Fossa!"

Clover's heart skipped a beat, her boiling blood froze at Dr. S's frantic call.

Lemurs screamed and scrambled in a panic, not wishing to stay out in the open but not knowing whether or not to turn to the jungle and climb up the trees or head farther into the cove towards all the junk for cover, least they run right into the waiting jaws of a hungry fossa.

"Where is it!?" Clover called out as loud as she could over the cries of frantic citizens, looking wildly about this way and that for any signs of fossa and Dr. S.

"In the bushes!" She heard Dr. S call above the crowd, following the sound and spotting the snake doctor towering over them all, his upper body reared up into the air where he was looking out over towards the jungle that skirted the edge of the cove. Others saw him as well, some racing towards him with the rest following their lead, scrambling to and piling behind their peculiar protector. Who continued to look straight ahead through pupils contracted to thin claws surrounded by blazing amber irises. His whole body was tense, the lower part coiled tight, ready to pounce. All this while his tongue flickered in and out of his mouth, licking the air.

Clover looked in the same direction but didn't see anything. "If you've gotten everyone in a panic for nothing, I swear to Frank..." She thought to herself. Then she bounded towards the jungle, weaving between lemurs bounding for Dr. S until she came to where rock turned into dirt and grass and the jungle began.

By that time, everyone else had gotten behind Dr. S, their cries petering out to small whimpers. Clover was grateful for the quiet as she skirted along the trees and brush, the better to hear her old enemies if they were close by. Then she spotted something on the ground. It was paw print. A fossa paw print which she knelt down to and upon closer inspection could tell that it was a fresh one. She found more leading deeper into the jungle with toes pointed away from the cove.

Clover came back into the open and rushed over to everyone, who were still cowering behind Dr. S. Including King Julien, who asked her, nervous and hopeful,

"Is it gone?"

"There was at least one fossa and yes, it's gone. It's tracks are leading away from the cove. You're all safe, thanks to Dr. S." Clover told him, looking over at Dr. S at the last sentence. She spoke with relief but also with a hint of sadness?

As she spoke, the fire simmered down in Dr. S's eyes, his pupils filling back into their usual shape. He body relaxed as lemurs slowly started to come out from behind it, breathing along with them a collective sigh of relief.

He looked back at Clover as she said to him genuinely impressed, "Good job spotting that fossa, Dr. S."

"Oh, I didn't see it, I smelled it. I was just scouting around like you told me to and caught a whiff." Dr. S told her not in a boastful way but more humble like, flicking his tongue out.

King Julien gave a funny look and asked, "Why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" Dr. S didn't understand what he meant.

"You're talking about smelling the fossa but you're sticking your tongue out, why?" King Julien was confused.

"Oh, that's how I smell." Dr. S explained.

King Julien gave him a skeptical look. "...You're pulling my leg."

"No, honest! We snakes smell with our tongues." Dr. S insisted.

"Na uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

Maurice watched this back and forth with amusement. He glanced over at Clover, who was also wearing an amused smirk. Then the smirk faded and then she looked kinda sad, though Maurice couldn't understand why. Dr. S had once again kept everyone safe, partly thanks to her training. She should be happy, right?

….

Maurice figured that Clover was troubled over Sage and so after the celebrations, he told King Julien about his suspicions. When the two of them came to Clover about them, she denied that anything was the matter at first.

"I told you, I'm fine." Clover insisted once more as the three of them stood around the royal throne room.

"You don't seem fine. You seem sad. If you need to talk about Sage..." King Julien started to offer in concern.

"What's there to say that hasn't already been said? When I get home, Sage and I are going to have a nice long talk about responsibility. End of story. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get back out and do some work." Clover said in a huff, spreading an arm out to indicate a window leading outside.

"You just did plenty of work. You can take a break." King Julien insisted.

"No I didn't." Clover grumbled.

"Excuse me, what?" King Julien didn't quite catch what she said but Maurice did and he asked her,

"What do you mean? You were scouting all over the cove looking out for fossa..."

"Before I got distracted by gossip and slander!" Clover snapped. "I was so focused on what people were saying about me and-and Sage and you!" She pointed to King Julien, who was taken aback by this outburst. "That I didn't notice there was a fossa stalking you all! If Dr. S wasn't there...if he didn't spot and-and scare it away, it might have..." Her words petered out as the gravity of could have happened once again hit her like a tidal wave, slamming into and pinning her down under it's crushing weight.

"But he was there and everything turned out okay! We're all okay!" King Julien tried to reassure her.

"No thanks to me!" Clover snapped.

"That's not true! Dr. S found the fossa cause he was on the look out for one and being vigilant like you told him to! He was following your orders, your training, so really, he kept us all safe partly thanks to you!" Maurice argued earnestly.

"_Partly_ isn't good enough when lives are on the line!" Clover argued back sharply. Then her face fell and she said sadly, "This-this whole mess with Sage, what people are saying about him and us and you, your majesty." She faced King Julien and fresh waves of guilt slammed into her. His own reputation continued to be dragged through the dirt because of her. Because even after what she had done, no matter how others tried to convince him otherwise, he continued to defend her through it all. Continued to be her friend.

"It's okay, Clover..." King Julien started to say gently, growing ever more concerned as was Maurice.

"It's not okay! I need to be focused on Dr. S and training and keeping you all safe, not listening to hogwash gossip and fretting over Sage! I can't...I can't let myself get so wrapped up in him that it compromises everyone's safety. Not again." Clover's words started off hot and as she went, simmered into sorrow, her voice growing ever lower but the shame and regret ringing loud and clear for her friends. "I can't, not again."

King Julien and Maurice saw their friend looking so lost and felt lost themselves. They both wanted to reach out and somehow convince Clover that her feelings were important too, that she wasn't a bad person just because she was rightfully upset about her husband, that everything would be alright.

"Go to him." Maurice said, unenthusiastic but still sincere.

"What?" Clover asked, confused. Julien also gave him a puzzled look.

"Go back to The Mountain Lemur Kingdom and talk to Sage already." Maurice reiterated. Clover opened her mouth to protest but Maurice went on with, "This whole situation is really stressing you out and you said yourself you can't concentrate on anything else. Might as well go ahead and talk to Sage. Clear the air between you two and your head. Spend time with him and your people and take a break. Then you and Sage can come back here and he can apologize and with that load off your mind, you'll be able to focus on training Dr. S. Heck, it could be part of his training if you think about it. See how he does on his own with what you've taught him so far. A test if you will."

"With everyone's lives on the line." Clover pointed out darkly.

"He's guarded the kingdom on his own before. He could do it again, just for a day or two." Maurice pointed out, trying to be reassuring. "And this time he would also have a little training under his belt, you've said yourself he's making progress. I believe he's got potential and you'll be able to better bring out that potential if you're not so stressed out. Please just, think it over?"

Clover looked back at him in silence for a moment, looked into his earnest, imploring eyes. Then she sighed and said, "You're right. Dr. S did protect everyone without me. And honestly, he still has, even with me here." Her friends opened their mouths, ready to once again reassure her about that morning but Clover went on with, "I'm not just talking about today. Remember the fossa attack, the same day I came back? Before I could even say 'On it!', Dr. S was bolting out the door and scaring away the fossa all on his own." She sighed again. Then she faced Julien. "What do you think, your majesty? Should I stay or should I go?"

"I...Maurice is right. You should go. You are super stressed out and talking to Sage is super important. We'll be alright and hey, if there is any trouble that Dr. S can't handle, then I promise I'll let you know right away." King Julien told her, unenthusiastic about the idea (his faith in Sage flipping back and forth) but still sincere, knowing how important it was her, with Maurice nodding in agreement.

Clover looked back and forth between her friends for a long moment. Then sighed and said, "You better."

And so after telling Dr. S, Mort, Nurse Phantom, and Dorothy about the plan and saying their goodbyes, Clover set off on Shadow back to The Mountain Lemur Kingdom.


	9. Chapter 9

"So what-what seems to be the problem here?" Nurse Phantom asked before letting out a big yawn and blinking several times. It was the day after Clover had gone back to her kingdom and Dr. S was patrolling around King Julien's with Nurse Phantom filling in for his doctor job that afternoon. He was in the examination room at the hospital, seeing to Abner who was sitting on the examining table with Becca standing by his side.

"It's my dang legs. They're taking forever to heal. Can't walk with them, can't even stand on em. Watch." Abner said, gripping the sides of his seat, readying himself to get up.

"Hun, don't!" Becca warned, reaching her arms out towards her husband. Who scooted himself out of his seat, wincing as his feet touched the floor and held unto the table for a moment before letting go. He held his arms out like he was balancing on a log as he balanced on shaking, quaking legs for about two seconds or so before they gave out, letting out a sharp cry of pain as he fell towards the floor. Becca was able to grab him mid descent but found herself struggling to hold him up and after a moment, both of them toppled down to the ground much to Becca's vexation.

"Now why in Frank's name did you go and do that for!?" She snapped at her husband as she sat up and rubbed her throbbing head.

"To show Nurse Phantom that my legs are still useless." Abner explained from where he lay sprawled out.

"You didn't have to show him! He should just believe you, ya dumbass!" Was Becca's sharp criticism. Then her expression softened when she saw Abner's hurt one, how he had wilted from her sharp tongue and scorching scowl.

"I'm sorry." He said meekly.

"No, no Hun, I'm sorry. I went too far, I shouldn't have called ya that. You're not a dumbass and I get why you got up, just...just please don't try and get up again without help, alright?" Becca asked of him sincerely and more gentle. Abner perked up a little at the apology, nodding and saying in response,

"Alright."

Becca then turned to Nurse Phantom, who was staring down at them, demanding much more harshly of him, "Speaking of help, a little help here!?"

"Oh right, sorry!" Nurse Phantom exclaimed, kneeing down to help Becca. The two of them working together were able to lift Abner and help him back unto the table, the work proving more strenuous then Nurse Phantom would have liked to admit. Abner felt like an anchor in his arms weighting down his whole body and once they were done, Nurse Phantom sat down and practically melted into a chair and took a few breaths to try and relax his sluggish screaming muscles.

"He's been hurt all this time and yet I see lemurs that were hurt after him, some in way worse shape mind ya, who are now just walking around like nothing happened to them and-and I don't understand why? Why are they getting better by not Abner?" Becca asked Nurse Phantom, confused and frustrated.

It was true, Abner had been among the first injured during the string of ill fated security system schemes when the mega gecko had set his and Becca's home on fire, caving the roof in and pinning him under the rubble. Luckily, Becca along with several of their neighbors were able to free him in time. And yes, the couple had watched as lemurs who had been injured that same day and the days after make full recoveries while Abner didn't and they couldn't understand why. Abner had been severally injured before, including the time when a big boulder had dropped down smack on top of him. Many more of his bones had been broken back then and yet they had all healed in no time. Definitely less time then those in his legs were taking.

Dr. S and Nurse Phantom had been told about the boulder and even as they had gone through a heavy stream of patients those past weeks, Abner's slow recovery compared to his peers helped him stick out and they too were baffled as to why he was taking so long.

"That's...that's so weird." Nurse Phantom said before once again letting out a wide mouthed yawn, trying to express that he too was stumped but ending up sounding more bored then anything else.

"I'm sorry, is my husband not being able to walk _boring_ you?" Becca demanded, offended at the idea that he wasn't taking her husband's situation seriously.

"W-what? No, no of course not! I-I'm sorry, I just...I'm just tired that's all. Nurse Phantom explained, starting off with a burst of energy before petering off to a sluggish state once again. "Let's take a look, shall we?"

Nurse Phantom went over the table where various medical instruments were laid out and reached towards them. His vision had gone blurry, making the numerous metal tools blend in with the metal table. He rapidly blinked his drooping eyelids several times to try and clear his vision but it was of no use, everything remained shrouded in a fog. Still, he continued looking, figuring that the little hammer to hit Abner's knees with would be easy enough to find on account of it's red handle. He finally spotted some red and grabbed it.

"Uh, Nurse Phantom? What are you gonna do with those?" Was Abner's puzzled question as Nurse Phantom came towards him with a pair of scissors with a red handle.

"Huh?" Nurse Phantom asked dumbly, knowing that Abner had said something but the words had gone through one ear and out the other, muffled by the thick fog filling his head. He once again blinked rapidly to try and clear his vision but again to no avail. "What?"

"I asked, what's ya gonna do with that?" Abner pointed to the scissors in Nurse Phantom's paw.

"Che-checking your reflex. Duh..." Nurse Phantom said in a daze, stopping for a moment to let out a big yawn before continuing.

"Well shoot, I know I ain't no doctor but how in the heck do ya...hey, you alright?" Abner asked, having noticed how not just the right of his face but Nurse Phantom's whole body was drooping, eyelids fluttering rapidly, feet dragging the floor as he slowly made his way across the room.

Nurse Phantom didn't answer, feeling like he was trying to swim through quick sand and Abner's words were getting sucked in, reaching his ears muffled and blended together in a thick stew. His own thoughts felt the same way, the only one sticking out was getting to Abner. So the nodding nurse continued the trek towards his patient.

"Hey! He asked you a question! What's the matter with you? Hey!" Becca demanded.

Nurse Phantom didn't utter a word but kept inching his way ever closer to the couple. But when he was almost upon them, his world suddenly started to spin, his head felt lighter then air and his feet gave out from under him, sending him falling forward with scissors aimed right for Abner.

The couple shrieked in terror with Becca quick as lighting dragging Abner off the table and onto the floor before Nurse Phantom came flopping down like a sack of rocks, the force and weight causing the piece of furniture to flip over and unto the nodding nurse.

Abner and Becca clung onto each other and continued to scream, finishing off with high yelps and practically jumping out of their skins when the room's door was flung open with King Julien and Maurice bursting through having heard the commotion from nearby.

"What's going on here?" Maurice wanted to know. Then he and King Julien saw Abner and Becca clinging unto each other along with Nurse Phantom pinned under the table.

"Rob!"

"Nurse Phantom!"

King Julien exclaimed the former while Maurice did the latter, the two of them rushing over, lifting the table off a moaning Nurse Phantom and lifting him up to a standing position while supporting him on either side.

"Are you okay?" King Julien asked him with concern.

"Wh-what happened?" Nurse Phantom groggily asked Julien and Maurice.

"Uh, Momo and I don't really know, we just got here." Julien told him.

"He tried to kill me!" Was Abner's horrified answer, pointing an accusing, shaking finger at Nurse Phantom.

"What!?" Julien, Maurice, and Nurse Phantom exclaimed as one, the statement sending a burst of energy throughout the nurse's body, jolting him wide awake.

"He tried to stab Abner with his scissors!" Becca explained, earning more confused and dismayed whats. She got up and walked over to the table, which had been flipped unto his side, inspecting it until she found what she was looking for. Then she turned it around so that everyone could see the pair of scissors imbedded into the seat. "Ya see? Right where Abner was sitting! Just-just lunged right at him and tried to kill him!"

"Yeah!" Abner agreed.

"No! No, Rob wouldn't do that!" King Julien objected with great conviction. "Not on purpose! It must have been an accident!"

"An accident?!" Becca snapped.

"Yes, an accident!" King Julien snapped back. "Maybe Rob tripped and-and fell and it looked like he was trying to hurt you but he didn't mean it!" Then he turned to Nurse Phantom and asked of him, "Is that what happened, Rob? Rob?" Julien asked the second time with concern and confusion. For Nurse Phantom remained silent, staring at the table, at the pair of scissors and it's red handle.

"The hammer...I was looking for the little hammer to hit Abner's knees with but everything was so blurry, I couldn't tell what was what. I looked for it's red handle...same as the scissors. I must have grabbed them by mistake and-and then everything started to spin and I must have blacked out and...and..." Nurse Phantom explained with growing horror as the gravity of what he had done and almost did hit him like a tidal wave. It knocked the air out of his lungs, his words to Abner low and raspy at first as he said with horror, "Oh my gods, I could have killed you. I could have killed you! I'm so sorry Abner!"

"You expect us to believe that load, you-you lying snake in the grass bastard?!" Becca snapped at Nurse Phantom, letting out a war cry and lunging for his throat. Nurse Phantom remained frozen in place but Julien and Maurice rushed forward, grabbing Becca and holding her back.

"Let go of me!" Becca demanded as she furiously tried to squirm free from their tight grips.

"Becca please! It was an accident!" Maurice begged as he struggled to keep a hold of her.

"Yeah!" King Julien agreed.

"And of course you two believe him! Why am I not surprised?" Was Becca's bitterly sarcastic remark for king and advisor.

"I believe him too, dear!" Abner piped in, earning him shocked stares from everyone else, especially Becca.

"W-what? Why!? I understand these two b-but _you!?_" Becca asked him incredulously, briefly nodding her head towards Julien and Maurice as she spoke.

"Now please, let me explain! I believe Nurse Phantom is _mostly_ telling the truth." Abner tried to be reassuring, hurting the hurt expression on his wife's face, the betray that he knew she was feeling.

"Mostly?" Becca didn't understand.

"Yes, mostly." Abner went on to reiterate with, "I believe that Nurse Phantom really is dog tired. Why shoot, he looked like a regular old zombie right fore he almost stabbed me. Which I do believe was an accident too."

"So wait, I don't understand. What part do ya think he's lying about?"

"I believe he's lying about being sorry." Abner explained, glaring up at Nurse Phantom.

"What? Of course he's sorry!" King Julien objected.

"He and Dr. S sure haven't been sorry for hurting us in the past!" Was Abner's critical comeback. "They haven't been sorry about electrocuting us for weird therapies or-or cause we didn't want their cookies or trying to saw us in half or-or dig up our dead relatives and turning them into zombies! They've just done whatever they please, risking our lives time and again with no regard for em and Nurse Phantom as gone and done it again! He couldn't see what he was doing, couldn't see what he was holding but he was gonna use on me anyways without a lick of though for my life! So yeah, fake apology not excepted!" Abner finished off in a huff, crossing his arms and turning away.

"He's not faking!" Julien snapped.

"Julien! He's right!" Nurse Phantom started off hot, then cooled down and said more solemnly, "He's right."

"Rob..." Julien couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Nurse Phantom faced Abner and said solemnly, "You're right. I am in no shape to be working today but I came anyways. I couldn't see or think straight and I didn't think about your safety and no amount of sorry is going to change that."

"Finally something we can agree on!" Becca stated to Nurse Phantom. "You-you haven't changed one bit! You're still the same old louse loving to screw around with us like-like we was toys! Well, I ain't letting you screw around with my husband anymore! We're out of here!" Becca then turned to Julien and Maurice, ordering them to, "Now let me go and help me get Abner into his chair!" When they hesitated, she barked an even harsher, "Now!"

So Abner was helped back into his wheelchair and he and Becca left the building. Nurse Phantom put up a sign on the front doors saying that the hospital was closed until Dr. S got back.

Then he walked over, flopped down unto one of the waiting room chairs and covered his face with his hands. Julien and Maurice looked at each other, mirroring the other's concern. They came over and sat by Nurse Phantom.

"Do you know why you're so tired?" Maurice gently asked the downhearted nurse.

"Yeah, did you not get enough sleep last night?" Was Julien's question.

"You'd think I'd be exhausted to the point of blacking out if I did!?" Nurse Phantom snapped. Then, seeing the hurt expression on Julien's face softened his own. "I'm sorry. No, I barely got a wink of sleep last night. Or the one before that or the one before that..." Nurse Phantom sighed and admitted, "The truth is, insomnia has been kicking my ass for a few weeks now."

"In-su-mia?" King Julien tried to pronounce this new strange word.

"It means he's been having trouble sleeping, your majesty." Maurice explained with concern and not just for Nurse Phantom but for King Julien as well, suspecting that the king might unfortunately have a part in the nurse's misfortune.

"Oh...oh. Wait." King Julien turned to Nurse Phantom. "Just how many weeks is a few?" He had the bad feeling he had a part in this but hoped that Rob would tell him otherwise.

"...Three. It started when everyone started getting hurt..." Nurse Phantom started to uneasily answer before stopping, not wishing to make Julien feel guilty. It didn't work.

"Because of my idea." Julien somberly finished the thought with that now familiar shame in his heart.

Nurse Phantom let out a tired sigh, for he hated to admit that, "Yes. With so many lemurs coming in al at once and we were just so busy and the stress, I just...couldn't sleep. But it's over and I still can't sleep!" Nurse Phantom suddenly shouted in frustration and threw his paws up in the air. Then he realized how loud he had gotten, eyes darting between his companions. He dropped his paws back down and cleared his throat. Then He let another sigh and pressed on, not wishing to dwell on his outburst but also wishing to get something off his chest.

"Truth is, I've been dealing with insomnia on and off for seasons." Then he quickly anxiously added, "But it's never gotten this bad on the job before today, I swear! I mean, you both know I've hurt patients before but not because I was so exhausted. I haven't been this exhausted for...a while really. Usually I've had a catch coma by now and it's fixed everything."

"Catch up coma?" Something about that sounded vaguely familiar for Julien.

"When it's gotten especially bad in the past and nothing else has helped, I've asked Dr. S to put me under a medically induced coma for a couple days. It's always worked and I've always been able to catch up on sleep that way. Hence, catch up coma." Nurse Phantom explained, bracing for a wave of disturbed and concerned questions over such an extreme method.

"Oh. Wait, why does this familiar?" King Julien pondered out loud, the exact when and where escaping him.

"This is the first I'm telling you." Nurse Phantom told him, not expecting that response.

Maurice piped in with, "That's because Dr. S already told us..."

"When?" Nurse Phantom was quick to ask, a bit on the frantic side, taking Maurice aback.

"Uh, a while ago, while you were in one of your...comas." He explained uneasily. He remembered being disturbed seeing it for himself then and he still was then and there.

"Oh."

"Oh but wait, I don't understand. If you know then it always works, then why haven't you asked Dr. S to knock you out already?" King Julien asked, utterly oblivious.

"Cause he has two jobs now, remember!? Being both the kingdom's only doctor and only line of defense is a _huge_ work load! Thats why I have to available to fill in for him _here_ so he can be out _there_ keeping us all safe and I can't do that if I'm in a coma! I can't leave him to do all that work by himself, especially if something goes wrong!" Nurse Phantom explained, furious over Julien's lack of concern.

"What do you mean, if something goes wrong?" King Julien asked with utter ignorance and the beginnings of worry. Nurse Phantom looked at him in utter disbelief. Did he truly not see the danger?

"Like if Nurse Phantom never wakes up!" Maurice explained, furious with Dr. S for being so willing to risk his friend's life like that. He knew the snake doctor wasn't known for concern over his patient's safety but Nurse Phantom was his best friend for Frank's sake! Unless he was like Julien and was too stupid to see the danger, which he hoped was the cause for Nurse Phantom's sake.

"Wait, what? Why wouldn't he if Dr. S is controlling everything?" King Julien asked with growing concern.

"Cause it's still a coma! Things can still go wrong! Like Nurse Phantom is given too much anesthetics or his body has a sudden bad reaction or the fact that is Dr. S isn't a real doctor!" Maurice shouted with mounting vexation.

"So, so you're saying that every time Rob was put under, he could have _died_!?" King Julien said with horror, looked to Nurse Phantom. "Is this true?"

"...It's true. There's always the risk." Nurse Phantom admitted, then asked with growing disbelief and also relief knowing that Julien did care, "You seriously didn't realize that?"

"No! I mean, I know normal, accidental comas are dangerous but I thought you guys had it totally under control but-but knowing that you don't...don't you think that's a little extreme!?" King Julien snapped.

"Look whose talking! You're always risking your life with stupid stunts for _fun_! I take the risk so I don't go around doing shit like, I don't know, stabbing patients!" Nurse Phantom snapped back.

"But-but there's other ways, less dangerous ones!" King Julien pointed out.

"That don't always work and they certainly haven't been working lately! Counting sheep, white noise, scented candles, golden Julien." Nurse Phantom counted each method on his fingers as he listed them off. "I've tried everything but nothing has worked! And when they haven't worked in the past, comas have but I can't go into a coma cause I have to be able to do my friend's first job so he can do his second job which he took in the first place because of me! That he's doing for me." He cradled his head in his hands and slowly shook it. "I'm so tired..." He said low and defeated.

Julien walked over, put a paw on Nurse Phantom's shoulder and told sincere and gentle, "We'll find a way."

"We?" Nurse Phantom uncovered his face and looked to him with surprise.

"Yes, we. You've done so much for everyone lately. Dr. S, me, Clover, the whole kingdom. Bout time I return the favor, don't you think?" King Julien said with sincere gentle gratitude. "I promise, we'll find a way to give you the best night's sleep, right Maurice?" He looked to Maurice, who after a moment's surprise, nodded in agreement.

"Of course." He would have volunteered himself anyways but Julien doing it for him worked as well. Honestly, he was proud that his friend was showing such kindness.

Nurse Phantom said to both of them with stunned and sincere gratitude, "Thank you."

And so the trio waited for Dr. S to return, then they told him what had transpired and their plan.

"So uh, yeah. We really need you to work solo the rest of today. And tonight. With both your jobs." King Julien awkwardly said to the snake doctor.

"Of course." Dr. S reassured him. Then he noticed how downcast Nurse Phantom looked and tried to reassure him that, "I'll be fine, really. Besides, its been pretty boring today. Haven't caught a whiff or whisker of fossa at all. And you know as well as I do that our number of patients has really wilted down lately..."

Suddenly the front doors swung open with Mort bounding in and straight for King Julien, talking a mile a minute.

"There you are, my king! I've been looking all over for you! I'm been coming with easy going activities what if all the crazy stuff lately and wanted to show you. What are you doing here?"

"Uh..." King Julien was taken aback for a moment by this sudden appearance but then he got an idea. He grabbed Mort, turned to Dr. S and said, "Good news, Dr. S. You don't gotta work alone after all. Mort will be your temporary assistant, Nurse Mort."

"Huh?" Was all a very confused Mort could say.

Maurice started to object with, "King Julien, I don't know if Mort..."

"Works for me!" Dr. S said enthusiastically.

"Wha? Wait a minute. What's going on?" Mort asked in growing confusion as he looked around at everyone.

"Alright, here's the deal. Rob is having a lot of trouble sleeping, so Maurice and I are going to help him get some sleep. I need you here to help Dr. S while we're doing that. Can I count on you?" King Julien asked of Mort.

"Of course, my king!" Was Mort's eager response.

And so King Julien, Maurice and Nurse Phantom set off in search of an insomnia remedy. Trying idea after idea after idea. By nightfall, they had ended up in the royal throne room where they were trying out yet another idea courtesy of Masikura.

"Concentrate on only the sound of my voice." Masikura said as Maurice dangled a pocket watch in front of Nurse Phantom's face, his working eye following the object as it slowly swung back and forth, catching quick reflections of candlelight that surrounded them and King Julien. "You are getting very sleepy. Your eyes are getting heavy. When I snap my claws, you will fall into a deep sleep. Ready?"

"Yes." Nurse Phantom answered, praying that this would work.

Masikura snapped her claws.

.

.

.

Nurse Phantom remained wide awake while King Julien on the other hand had fallen asleep sitting up and snoring away.

"Your majesty!" Masikura snapped her claws again.

King Julien jolted awake, his eyes popping open and he looked about and said frantically, "Huh, what? What happened? Did it work?"

"Yes, on you. Not Nurse Phantom." Masikura told him, blowing his flash of hope out.

"Can we take a break? I have to pee, _again_." Nurse Phantom said irritably, excusing himself. He had been given Golden Julien some time earlier to help him relax. It didn't help him relax so much as make him have to pee. Quite a bit actually.

By the time he got back, Masikura had excused herself for the evening so it was just the three lemurs left in the room.

King Julien let out a tired, exasperated sigh, asking unenthusiastically, "Okay, what next?"

"Let's take a break, your majesty." Maurice whined with growing exasperation over all their failed attempts.

"I second that." Nurse Phantom piped in, feeling that same feeling tenfold.

"Our minds are drawing blanks. We need to rest them. Then we can regroup and keep trying." Maurice continued to argue.

"Hmm, good point." King Julien agreed, for he too had grown weary, making a break sound pretty good. "Okay so, what do ya wanna do then?"

"How about we just talk? All I'm up for." Maurice suggested.

"You two pick a topic. I...I got nothing." Nurse Phantom told them, leaning back against the wall.

There was one topic King Julien could think of and after a moment of hesitation, turned to Nurse Phantom and asked nervously, "What gave you the idea for your catch up comas?" Nurse Phantom was taken aback by this question while Maurice gave Julien a look that told him to choose his next words every carefully, which Julien tried to do as he continued with, "I'd really like to know. I've never heard of doing something like that before. To help if you're having trouble sleeping I mean."

Nurse Phantom sighed. "It wasn't long after you hired me and Dr. S. I couldn't fall asleep so I was just laying awake in bed, thinking about all the surgeries I had and that turned to all the hours I had spent sleeping while having them and that gave me an idea. Why not use the same anesthetics used on me then...that's the drugs used to put people to sleep for surgeries." Nurse Phantom explained upon seeing the confused expression on Julien's face.

"Oh." Was Julien's response.

"Anyways, why not use those same drugs to put me to sleep again? So I asked Dr. S to knock me out and that was it. Out like a light." Nurse Phantom added the last bit in an attempt at humor.

Julien wanted to ask for Dr. S's opinion on the matter but he was afraid. Afraid of sounding like he was accusing Dr. S of being a horrible friend, afraid of sounding like he was calling Rob stupid for trusting him. Afraid that he himself would turn into a big jerk about it. But he couldn't let the matter go without saying something.

He started to say a mile a minute, "I know Dr. S really cares about you and wants you to be happy and is really bad at thinking things through and would never want to hurt you and..."

"Julien!" Nurse Phantom interrupted him. "Breathe."

Julien took a deep breath, then blurted out, "How does Dr. S feel about the comas?" Nurse Phantom had seen the question coming and yet he was still taken aback, not answering right away but silently stared back at Julien. "I'm sorry, I went too far, didn't I? I'm sorry, I didn't mean...you don't have to answer." Julien ended his profuse apology meekly.

Nurse Phantom remained silent for a moment more, looking upon Julien's guilt-ridden expression. Then he sighed and admitted that, "We...weren't friends back then, when I asked him the first time. We got along fine enough but I certainly didn't care about him like I do now and I know it's the same for him. He cares about me a whole lot now but...I wasn't his little buddy back then. So if things had gone wrong...I don't think he would have cried over me. He certainly didn't seem worried when he first agreed to put me under, didn't say how he felt one way or another really and I didn't ask. I've...never asked him how he feels about it and he's never told me. He's never been gong ho about it, never been the one to suggest it. It's always been my idea, never his. He has expressed concern over my insomnia, especially recently, and has suggested possible sleep remedies but never the comas, I swear." Nurse Phantom paused, feeling increasingly awkward. "Anyways, that's all I know."

"Thanks for telling us." King Julien said softly and sincerely. He wanted to know more, wanted to know why Rob had never asked Dr. S about his feelings. Wanted to convince him to go straight to the snake doctor then and there to talk to him but thought better of it. He didn't want to push the matter too hard and hurt Rob's feelings. He would bring it back up again but for the moment, he was going to give a rest. "Okay, anybody else have something they wanna talk about?"

"I have something to say." Nurse Phantom offered, looking from Julien to Maurice as he told them, "Julie, Maurice, thanks you guys for showing concern and listening. For trying to help me and...and that brings me to something else." Something that had been on his mind a lot lately and that he wanted to share but was also afraid to. Julien and Maurice waited patiently as he took a deep breath, steeling himself and facing Julien as he resumed, trying to keep his voice firm and hide it's tremor. "Julie, are you helping me for my sake or is it all for Dr. S, so he can protect the kingdom?"

Well, this certainly got Julien's attention, continuing to attentively listen as Nurse Phantom spoke with resolve. "Cause we've been spending a lot of time together lately, more then we have in a long time and even under the circumstances, I'm glad we have. Really glad. It-it feels like we're actually friends again and I want that but I have to know, do you want it too? Do you want to act like actual friends or am I still too gross for you? Cause before the trampolines, every time I've wanted us to hang out together, you've always told me that I was too gross to join your band or whatever even though you told me that we were friends again. But until recently, you haven't been acting like one but now you are and I have to know where we stand, Julie. Do you want to be friends or would you rather we work together as friendly allies helping Dr. S and Clover? Cause I would understand if you would rather have it that way. If you don't want to be friends, if-if me being ugly wasn't the only reason." By the last sentence Nurse Phantom's firm words had crumbled, assertiveness chipped away to reveal a contrite heart.

"You've hurt me but I've hurt you too and all this talk of apologizes lately has made me realize that I've never apologized to you. For trying to steal your face, then your whole body all because I was angry that you didn't want to leave everyone and everything you had ever known to run away with me! And yes, Club Moist was my idea too but again, I had tried to kill you! You didn't owe me anything and yet _you_ apologized to _me! _But I've never said the same to you." Nurse Phantom started off woeful, then his words became more rage filled, oozing with disgust as he recounted his heinous deeds before simmering down to rueful at the last sentence and continued so as he went on. "So I'm saying it now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a possessive bastard towards you. I'm sorry for getting angry over you to not throwing your whole life away for me and using an idea that I had lost every right to. And I'm sorry for trying to kill you over such petty crap. Speaking of which, Maurice?" He turned to Maurice, who was surprised at being mentioned to say the least. "I owe you an apology too. I'm sorry for the scorpions and snakes and being a jealous bastard towards you all because I didn't wanna share Julien. It was wrong and I'm sorry." He looked from Maurice to Julien as he finished with, "How I treated you both was wrong and I'm sorry it took me so long to apologize."

Julien and Maurice sat in stunned silence for some moments as they processed it all before Julien was able to form his own grateful and contrite words. "Rob...thank you. Thank you for the apology and I owe you one too. Yes, I was mad at you. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe I never really stopped but I still mostly avoided you because I did think you were too gross and ugly to hang out with. I was so focused on how you've changed on the outside that I didn't see how you've changed on the inside. But seeing the inside lately, I like what I see. I want to see more. Yes, you were a jerk and you did hurt me but you've changed and I took over being the jerk and hurting you. I shouldn't have strung you along and let you believe that we were friends when I wasn't being one and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for stinging you along. I'm sorry for caring more about your outsides then your insides. It was wrong and I'm sorry that my apology took so long. I forgive you, Rob and yes, I do want to be friends again, real ones. I'd love to hang out again if you don't mind hanging with me." Julien looked warmly at Rob as he finished with humble tenderness.

"Julie, I...thank you. And I forgive you too." Rob said soft and sincere, words coming out low and raspy as he was overcome with joy and gratitude along other emotions. He lunged for Julien, wrapping his friend in his ams and giving him a warm, tight hug. After a stunned moment, Julien gladly returned it in kind. They stayed like that for some moments, no words, just the two of them relishing the welcomed feel of a friend.

After they pulled apart, Maurice piped in with, "Hey." They turned and saw the smile on his face as he said sincerely, "Apology excepted, Rob."

After a stunned second or two, Rob smiled back and said warmly and raspy, "Thank you, Maurice."

…

The three of them talked about mundane things for a little while after that, until…

"I wonder how Clover's doing right now?" King Julien wondered out loud. He hoped that she was alright.

"She better have gotten a damn good apology from Sage by now." Maurice said, not hiding his contempt for his friend's husband. Rob voiced his agreement.

"Begging on his knees for her forgiveness and respecting her feelings. It's the least she deserves." King Julien added, his contempt shining just as bright, like the moon that hung in the sky that night. The hard edges of his words smoothed some by the end, as his thoughts leaned closer to his friend.

Maurice and Rob voiced their agreements.

"Yeah. Boy, I'll tell ya, she's earned my respect. Still scares me some, I won't lie but she really is a great lady. I can see why you guys love her" Rob said with admiration.

"Yeah, she's...amazing." King Julien said in awe. Then he added with amusement, "And to be fair, she still scares Momo and me sometimes." This got chuckles from Rob and Maurice, which pleased Julien.

"Heh, yeah. Good old Clover." Maurice said fondly. Then he thought of something. "Well, at least we know the mountain lemurs are treating her well. According to Clover, they love her." And that knowledge made him feel better, as it did for Rob and Julien.

"And why wouldn't they? Her scary is right up their alleys. Yup, they are for sure treating her right." Julien said with rising spirits.

"Yeah." Maurice agreed. But then another thought came to him. "I wonder how they feel about the contract." He said with rising dread as he imagined their reactions.

"You think she's told them about that?" King Julien asked with deflating spirits.

"I would! They deserve to know that their queen might have to leave them!" Maurice argued.

"To fulfill a contract that _I _roped her into." King Julien said sourly.

"Yeah." Maurice didn't want to say it but he couldn't deny it either. "Hopefully she won't. I _pray_ it won't come to that but the fact of the matter is, if Dr. S can't do the job...Look, I don't believe that he would purposely let anyone get hurt but the fact is that he's still very new at the whole doing a job responsibly. Not to mention that his new job is highly difficult even for professionals who've been at it for _years_, who've had _years _of training while Dr. S has had what, _five days_ and has been at it for a _week! _There's the very real possibility that things could go wrong and the mountain lemurs need to know this!" He hated saying it, he truly did but he couldn't deny reality.

"Augh! You're right and I hate it!" Julien angrily admitted.

"I know. Believe me, I know. And believe it or not, Dr. S does too." Rob begrudgingly admitted more somberly with a slight edge. Then he sighed sadly. "How do you think the mountain lemurs feel about Dr. S?"

"Pretty sure they think the whole plan is crazy like everybody else!" Julien lamented bitterly.

"I admit, it is...out there." Was Rob's comment.

"It doesn't sound real. More like a crazy made story. That we're all living in." Maurice was still coming to terms with the whole insane situation.

Story.

"Maurice, you remember reading me bedtime stories when we were kids?" King Julien asked, the beginnings of an idea forming in his brain. Maurice gave him a puzzled look and answered,

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, it always help me fall asleep. Maybe it would help Rob." Julien reasoned.

"Don't you think I'm a little old for bedtime stories?" Rob argued irritably. Julien raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really? Personally, I think you're never too old for bedtime stories." Julien argued back, offended. "Besides, what have you got to lose?"

Rob let a sigh. "Fine."

While Maurice looked around the plane for a book, Julien hopped up onto his throne and patted the space next to him. "Sit next to me."

"Okay." Rob was surprised by the offer but he wasn't going to complain, sluggishly climbing up to sit on Julien's left side.

"Stories are always better in a nice, comfy seat." Julien explained, settling himself on the cushion.

Maurice soon came back with a decent sized book he'd found in the back pouch of one of the passenger seats. It's dark blue cover had some wear and tear around the edges and the gold lettering on the front was dulled with age but one could still see that they read,

_Roses in The Garden_

_By Charlotte Hall_

The pages within were yellowed with age but the words still stood out and Maurice got right into reading them out loud after settling himself in one of the passenger seats facing the throne.

It didn't take Julien long to conclude that it was the most boring story in the history of forever. Pages upon pages spent describing every boring detail, from all the boring nooks and crannies of every boring building to every boring scrap of clothing that the boring characters wore. For every single character was dull as dirt and took forever to do anything except talk and talk and talk and Julien couldn't even understand what they were saying half of the time. It became harder and harder to stay awake and he was liable to fall asleep on the spot if Maurice kept at it much longer.

Suddenly Julien was aware of something on his left shoulder. He turned to see Rob resting his head there with his eyes closed.

"Rob?" Julien asked, puzzled.

No response.

"Rob?"

Still no response.

"Rob, are you...asleep?" Julien asked cautiously optimistic, poking him.

The only response Rob continued to give was the sound of his breathing and the rise and fall of his chest.

"Your majesty? Is Rob...?" Maurice had stopped reading and was looking at them expectantly. Then Rob began to groan and his eyelids fluttered.

"Keep reading, keep reading." Julien whispered none too quietly, motioning with his head and pointing at Rob.

"Right right, sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah." Maurice found his place and was back to describing in great detail the outfit that Elizabeth was wearing as she walked through her beloved garden.

Julien looked back to Rob, who settled down, nuzzling his face into Julien's shoulder. The right side of his face, the side that constantly drooled. Julien could already feel the saliva on his fur, the slimy secretion oozing through unto his skin and spreading.

Gross.

Gross.

_Gross!_

Julien started to move his comfortable companion unto the throne but quickly realized that would mean spit all over where he sat the royal booty down each and every day. Even with the most thorough cleaning imaginable, would it ever be truly clean again? Julien shuddered at the thought and was about to order Maurice to go get a towel to lay down when Rob started to stir again.

The more Julien moved, the more Rob moaned, groaned and twitched. When Julien settled still, Rob settled too, letting out a contented sigh with a small smile playing across his lips. Well, they had been trying to put Rob to sleep and there he was, sleeping like a gross, peaceful baby. Julien gave out a defeated sigh and rested his own head on Rob's.

Oh well, it wasn't the worse thing in the world, he supposed. Fur was a lot easier to clean then furniture. He'd have Maurice draw up a good hot bath in the morning.

Julien once more looked over at Rob. Huh, he kinda looked like a droopy puppy. Julien gave a small smile and thought to himself tenderly,

"Sleep well, buddy. You've earned it."

So he sat and listened as Maurice went on and on and on, the dull narrative soon lulling him into unconsciousness as well.

….

Dawn came through into the throne room, bathed in it's new light. Light which came across Rob's face, causing his eyelids to flutter open to slits. Then they shut again as Rob let out a wide yawn before slowly opening wider this time as he looked about at his surroundings. He was still in the throne room facing Maurice, who sleeping in the same chair as the previous night, bland book draped over him like a blanket. And if Maurice was still there, then Rob figured he was still on the royal throne. He was resting on his right side, cuddled up against something gray and fuzzy. It felt nice, soft and warm against his skin and had a nice smell. Julien or Maurice must have gotten him a pillow. Wait, where was Julien? Rob pulled away to get a better look around, hoping he would spot his friend. First looking to his left, then to his right.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Rob shrieked, which of course jolted Julien and Maurice awake, joining in with their own startled screams.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Rob continued to scream as he scrambled to get away from Julien, falling off the throne and landing on his back on top of Amelia's lap. Julien stayed where he was, clinging unto his seat for dear life as he asked in panic and confusion,

"Why are we yelling!?"

"I'm sorry!" Rob pleaded.

"For what!?"

"For sleeping on you! For being gross and way out of line and I didn't mean it to but it doesn't change the fact that I was gross and I'm sorry!" Rob profusely apologized at a mile a minute.

"Whoa!" Julien told him, no longer shrieking, making stopping motions with his paws. Maurice had stopped screaming as well, hopping out of his seat and coming towards them. "Whoa there, easy. So you're sorry for sleeping on my shoulder?"

"Yes! It was so gross and wrong and I'm sorry..."

"Easy!" Julie interrupted while still making the stopping motions. Then went on to say more gently, "Easy. It's alright. I let you sleep there."

"What?" Rob asked incredulously.

"I knew you were sleeping on my shoulder and I let you stay there. No biggie." Julien tried to be reassuring.

"But wait, if you knew then why didn't you move me?" Rob couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I_ tried _but you were moaning and squirming and I was afraid you were gonna wake up and after _hours _of trying to get you to sleep, I _really_ didn't want that to happen." Julien explained, inwardly shuddering at the thought. Then his tone got softer. "Besides, you looked so peaceful. Like-like a little baby. I couldn't risk waking you up, not when you were finally getting some sleep. Speaking of, how does it feel to have finally gotten a good chunk of sleep, huh? Let's talk about that."

Rob was reluctant to let the matter go but seeing how much Julien did, he relented. Thinking for a moment before answering. "Feels pretty good. Not a hundred percent better but definitely an improvement, thanks to you and you too, Maurice." Rob said sincerely to first Julien, then Maurice. He looked to both of them as he went on with, "Thanks you guys, really. If it wasn't for you two...Wait, Maurice, was it you reading that book that put me to sleep? Cause that's the last thing I remember."

"Yes! Whose too old for bedtime stories now?" Julien boosted, his ingenious plan having been a success.

"Okay, I guess I'm not. Happy?" Rob said playfully. "Good thing it was a boring one."

"No kidding! Good on you, Momo, for powering through the most boring book in the history of forever." Julien said first to Rob, then to Maurice.

"I didn't realty power through it, your majesty. I enjoyed reading it. Personally, I think it's a pretty good book so far." Maurice told him.

"You're kidding, right? You liked reading twenty pages describing every stinkin scrap of clothing that every stinkin person's wearing?" Julien asked incredulously.

"Okay yes, the story could do with less detail sometimes but other times, the details paint such a vivid picture that you feel like you're practically there, like in the garden scene. Practically smelling Elizebeth's beloved roses, hearing the calls of birds mixing with the sounds of the city so close and yet so far away from Elizebeth and Jane as they walk down their own private patch of paradise, pouring out their hearts and souls to one another." Maurice described the scene grandly, the warmth and devotion in their words ringing clear as the sweetest sounding bell, his own heart filled with warmth as he recalled the lovely scene.

"Uh huh. That sounds nice. If the author didn't feel the need to describe every stupid flower!" Julien went right on complaining.

"The imagery adds to the atmosphere!"

"More like the boring-sphere!"

Rob giggled and shook his head in amusement. While the two friends went on with their heated discussion, he hopped up on the dashboard to look out the windshield, seeing the dawn of a new day.


	10. Chapter 10

Rob returned back to the hospital that same morning. He found Dr. S outside laying stretched out on a warm patch of grass, soaking up the sunshine. The snake doctor perked up once he realized his friend was back and asked with anticipation if he was successful in getting a good night's sleep. Rob told him about the failed attempts to knock him out and talking with Julien and Maurice but hesitated to talk about the coma part of the conversation because no matter how careful he was with his words, Dr. S's feelings on the matter was probably going to come up anyways one way or another.

Rob considered being upfront, telling Dr. S everything and asking him plain and simple how he felt about the comas but fear held him back. It always held him back every time he had thought about discussing the matter with his friend, even though he wasn't entirely sure why. He used to know the reason, back when he first started to care about the snake doctor's feelings. Back when he realized that he cared about Dr. S and considered the two of them friends but wasn't sure if Dr. S felt the same way. Wasn't sure if Dr. S cared about him at all or if he was just another hunk of meat to cut open without a care in the world.

Rob wasn't afraid of that anymore. He knew they were friends now, that Dr. S cared for him deeply. He knew before Dr. S pledged to protect the kingdom, before saving him twice in a row. He knew and yet he had remained afraid. He was still afraid. Question was, what was he afraid of now?

.

.

.

Rob skipped the coma part of the conversation and went right into the apologies exchanged and the reconciliation between him and Julien. How Julien had come up with reading him a bedtime story to help him fall asleep and how that had actually worked. With Rob sleeping soundly on Julien's shoulder.

"What?!"

Dr. S and Rob heard a familiar high pitched voice exclaim right before Mort came flying out the nearest window, landing on the ground and looking around frantically before spotting Rob, then pounced. Landing square on Rob's chest, pushing the larger lemur with enough force to send him falling flat on his back.

"Ow! Mort!? What the hell!?" Rob demeaned, sitting up some and rubbing the back of his head.

"I'll ask the questions here, slobber mouth!" Mort snapped, clenching tight unto Rob's chest, looking at him through manic eyes. "Now, what were you thinking sleeping on my King Julien!?" He demanded, gripping Rob's fur even tighter.

"He's not your Julien!" Rob snapped back. "And I wasn't thinking! It was an accident! A disgusting accident that will never happen again!"

"Sure it was! Fine, we'll go with that." Mort said sarcastically, making it perfectly clear that he didn't believe a single word Rob was saying. "Oh, I'm sure King Julien had quite the reaction to this 'accident'." Rob glared in response.

"How did King Julien react?" Dr. S asked with great concern, for he had his doubts that Julien was truly no longer repulsed by Nurse Phantom, perfectly picturing in his mind a look of pure disgust on the king's face upon finding out about the accidental physical contact.

Rob's face softened at his friend's concern and he said bashfully, "He...knew before I did. He let me stay where I was."

"Liar!" Mort accused. "There is no way, no how that King Julien didn't freak out and shove your slobbery self away!"

"He didn't shove me away! He said that he did try to move me at first, that he was grossed out by the drool but apparently I kept almost waking up and he ended up giving up. Cause he didn't want to risk waking me up after finally getting me to sleep. That I looked peaceful and that I deserved a good night's sleep." Rob snapped back at first, then his tone softened as he recalled the act of kindness. Then it hardened again as he snarled at Mort. "_I'm_ the one who woke up screaming! _I'm_ the one who pushed myself away from Julien!_ Julien's_ the one who told me that he wasn't angry, that he knows that it was an accident and reassured me that I'm not a creepy pervert!"

"Sure he did."

Then the two lemurs glared at each other in tense silence while Dr. S looked back and forth between them, wanting to say something but lost for words, until…

"I think they came from over here."

All three of them heard a voice coming from nearby. A deep, masculine voice that Mort would have recognized anywhere. A voice that, at one point in time, had made his heart swell with joy, his belly feel like a million butterflies were fluttering inside. A voice that he was so sure he would never hear again. He turned and saw the owner of that voice coming towards him.

"Zora?" Mort said with breathless shock. For it was indeed his former lover, Zora and she wasn't alone. Rob himself barely knew Zora from her brief time living in King Julien's kingdom but knew her companion all too well.

"Uncle King Julien..." He said with breathless dismay, for walking beside Zora was indeed the former tyrant king himself, Uncle King Julien.

"You!" Mort snarled, once more glaring daggers as he marched over, closing the gap between himself and the couple. Then he stopped and pointed an accusing finger at Uncle King Julien, demanding to know, "What are _you_ doing here?"

"To discuss important matters with my nephew, that's what." Was Uncle King Julien's curt answer.

"What kind of matters?"

"The kind for Julien to know first, ya little shit stain." Uncle King Julien said with a snarl.

"Why you..."

"Stop it, both of you!" Zora barked at them. Then her tone softened as she implored of Mort, "Mort, I swear we're not here to hurt King Julien. We are here to tell him something very important, something that you'll find out about soon enough but it's important to me that Julien's the first to know."

"Ha! A likely story but you can't fool me! I'm not letting that demon near my King-Hey!" Mort objected before Rob picked him up and placed a paw over his mouth. Mort squirmed and yelled muffled protests which Rob ignored as he calmly asked Zora,

"Quick question. Does Julien have to be the _only one to _receive this news first?"

….

So there they were, Mort, Rob, Uncle King Julien, Zora, Maurice, and King Julien all gathered together in the throne room while Dr. S stayed outside on the plane's nose, peering into the room through the windshield.

"Are you really okay with them being here?" Uncle King Julien whispered to Zora with concern while looking across the room at Mort, who was still giving him the evil while still being held by Nurse Phantom, he too giving the older Julien a dirty look.

"As long as Julien's here, that's what matters." Zora whispered back. Then she added, "Besides, it would probably be more trouble then it's worth to try and keep Mort away from him anyhow."

"Mmm, good point." Uncle King Julien agreed, for they both knew how scary protective Mort was of King Julien, glad that at least Nurse Phantom was holding him back. Didn't know why Dr. S had tagged along but brushed that question aside for the time being. For there were much more important matters at hand.

"Okay, lay it on me. What is so important that you had to come all the way here to tell me in person instead of just, I don't know, writing a letter?" King Julien asked with irritable impatience, wishing for the discussion to be over and done with as soon as possible so the couple could leave him and his people in peace.

"Because this is too important to just tell you in a letter. Because the reason we're here is...we think that I might be..." Zora spoke firmly at first but her confidence waned as she went. She turned her fearful eyes away from the younger Julien and bit her bottom lip. Then look back to him, closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Then told him with as much confidence as she could muster, "I'm pregnant."

"...What?" That one stunned word was the only one that King Julien could say. He had to heard her wrong. He must have heard her wrong. There was no way, no how that she could really be...

"I'm pregnant, Julien." Zora repeated with more confidence this time.

"Oh…oh...oh." King Julien said as the information slowly sank in. And then he fainted.

King Julien knew the meaning of the word pregnant, having _finally_ received the birds and the bees talk sometime between getting his kingdom back from Koto and Clover and Sage's wedding. Fed up with hearing about his belief in the baby patch, Clover started angrily telling King Julien about the facts of life. He didn't believe her. Then Maurice joined in to help Clover. Julien didn't believe him either. Finally, after lots of arguing and skepticism and drawings on a chalkboard, Julien finally believed his friends were telling him the truth and not just pulling a weird joke. He stared in silence back and forth between them as the pieces finally clicked together in his brain. And then he had proceeded to faint. So yes, Julien knew about pregnancy. He knew that it meant in a few months, there would be….

"A baby?!" King Julien exclaimed as he awoke, sitting straight up from where he had landed on the floor, surrounded by everyone.

"Your majesty, are you alright?" Maurice asked him with great concern but Julien looked past his friend to stare wide eyed at Zora and his uncle, pointing a shaking finger at the couple while stammering,

"Ya-ya-you, you two are having a ba-ba-baby!?"

"Yes Julien, we are." Zora solemnly said.

"And that's why we needed to speak with you in person." Was Uncle King Julien's snippety addition but then the expression on his face changed to a more nervous one. He started fidgeting with his paws, sounding more anxious then ornery as he told his nephew, "We can't live in Feartopia by ourselves. Neither of us know...if something happens..." Fear flashed in his eyes as he stumbled on his words. Then he scowled once more, mustering more confidence as he said, "The point is that we need to live with other lemurs and on this island, there are two options. The Mountain Lemur Kingdom...and your's."

"Wait, are you asking if you two can live here to raise your...your..." Maurice asked anxiously, then stopped, for he couldn't say the last word. The very idea of Uncle King Julien with a...it shook Maurice to his very core.

"Yes, okay!? We're asking if we can stay here to raise our baby!" Uncle King Julien snapped. "We've talked it over and we figured out that this kingdom is our best option!"

"Ha!" Mort exclaimed. Rob had let go of him when King Julien fainted, so he was free to march over to Uncle King Julien and say with pure contempt, "If you think that King Julien believes you for even one second, then you got another thing coming, buster!"

"If you don't believe him, then believe me!" Zora said sharply to Mort. Then she turned to King Julien, her tone softened as she said to him, "Believe me when I say we are telling the truth. That we need your help." King Julien was taken aback by how vulnerable she sounded, the fear on her face and within her eyes. Eyes begging him to listen. He stared back into those eyes, helplessly lost for words.

Meanwhile, Mort still had plenty to say, snapping at Zora, "King Julien doesn't believe you either!"

Both Zora and Uncle King Julien opened their mouths ready to snap back but were beaten to the punch by King Julien himself snapping,

"Shut up, Mort!"

Mort winced back as if he had been slapped. "But-but King Julien…!"

"I said shut up!" King Julien yelled once more, then said at a lower volume in the same harsh tone, "And let me think!" Then he took a breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

"Okay. Let's say you two are telling the truth. Let's just say, okay?" King Julien added with extra exasperation when Mort opened his mouth to protest, grateful when he shut it closed. "Why is my kingdom your best option? Why not The Mountain Lemur Kingdom, where everybody _doesn't_ hate your guts?" Was his confused and frustrated question, looking from Zora to his uncle.

"Clover does and she's their queen now, remember?" Was Uncle King Julien's snippy answer. "Believe me, if it was only Sage in charge, we would be asking him and welcomed with open arms in a snap." He snapped his fingers. "But unfortunately, it's not just him and I don't care how much hippie dippy shit he sprouts, he's never going to change Clover's mind! She's never going to let me live in her kingdom!" He stated with bitter conviction.

"But you think that King Julien will let you live in his?" Maurice curtly countered.

Zora admitted without shame to King Julien, "You do tend to be more lenient then Clover, so yes. We figured we'd have better luck with you."

"I...I need time. Time to think about this." King Julien said in a daze, starting to walk towards the curtain separating first class and coach.

"Your majesty..." Maurice said in concern. Mort and Rob opened their mouths, ready to express their own concerns.

"I just need time. Time to...to think this through." King Julien insisted, placing a paw on his head as his thoughts swarmed within, disappearing behind the curtain. A moment later, everyone heard his horrified shriek, all rushing into coach to see what was the matter. They found him at the door leading outside, staring out in petrified horror. Everyone crowned around and looked out as well. Then Dr. S came slithering on the outside of the plane, stopping at the doorway and asking with grave concern,

"Mr. King Julien, are you alright? What's going on? What are you all staring at?", seeing that everyone else had gone wide eyed as well. Then he looked in the same direction. "Oh."

For a large crowd of lemurs surrounded the base of the baobab tree, some talking to their neighbors in hushed tones, all looking worried as they looked up at the plane. Xixi flew over the anxious gathering before landing among them, holding microphone up to her beak as she dramatically reported,

"Xixi here, reporting live! Asking the questions on everyone's minds! Why, oh why is Uncle King Julien here? What nefarious scheme is he up to now? And what sort of terrible disaster should we be expecting this time?", her own anxiety becoming more apparent the more she spoke.

"King Julien dies and his uncle becomes king and we all die on the inside!" Was Willie's panicked prediction, appearing next to her while wildly waving his arms.

"Thank you for your input, Willie."

Meanwhile, back up in the plane.

"Wow. Quite the crowd, huh?" Dr. S said awkwardly to King Julien, doing a bad job of hiding his own unease.

"How did you not notice all these lemurs before?" Maurice angrily asked the snake doctor.

"...Too caught up in the drama?" Dr. S offered lamely. He also would have shrugged his shoulders if he had any.

"Half the kingdom must be down there! What am I gonna tell them!?" King Julien fretted to Maurice. Then switched to a mock happy tone. "Hey guys, you know how things have like, majorly sucked like a lot around here lately? Well, Mr. joy sucker himself is back and he wants to live here and I don't know what I'm gonna about it! Isn't that great?!" Then switched back to sincere panic mode, grabbing Maurice by the shoulders and violently shaking his friend as he screamed, "I can't tell them that!"

But then King Julien was struck by an idea. He stopped shaking Maurice and looked expectantly at his friend. "But maybe..."

"No. Way." Maurice told his friend firmly, knowing exactly what he had in mind.

"But-but you have such a way with words, Momo." King Julien said with fake flattery. Maurice wasn't paying it.

"No."

"But...but I don't wanna!" King Julien whined.

"Oh, for the love of Pete!" Zora said in exasperation, shoving her way through and sticking her head out the doorway to proclaim to the crowd, "I'm pregnant! Uncle King Julien and I are here because I'm pregnant and we're asking if we can live here to raise our baby!"

Cries of dismay rose from the crowd, blending together into one deafening roar. After all they had been through, now this? After all that monster had done to them, to King Julien, was King Julien truly considering let him back into their lives? But then they had to consider the baby. Even those who thought the worst of him knew that King Julien would never turn away a pregnant woman, not even one carrying his uncle's child. Oh dear Frank, Uncle King Julien fathering a child. The very idea made stomachs turn. In other words, nobody was happy with the news.

Except for Ted, he was ecstatic. He had loved Zora and Uncle King Julien as a couple ever since reading his love letters to her and seeing the love between them when they met in person.

"Oh my stars, a baby! I can't believe it! I...I..." Ted's gushing petered off when he saw several of his neighbors had gone silent and were giving him dirty looks. Looks that bore down into his very being, wiping the ear to ear grin clean off his face.

"Uh...I mean...oh no, boo..." He rose up a fist and said lamely, fooling no one.

"You are dead to me, Ted." Pancho snarled at Ted, glaring like he was trying to burn a hole through his head. Uncle King Julien's Operation Footstool program swarmed in the forefront of his mind as he glared amber daggers at a lemur who he thought was his friend.

"Pancho..." Ted said desperately, seeing the pain etched deeply on his face.

"Dead!" Pancho shouted in Ted's face before walking away with fists clenched tight at his sides and inferno blazing in his eyes.

Back in the plane, King Julien was glaring at Zora, though his gaze wasn't nearly as hostile as Pancho's. "What the heck, Zora?!" He demanded of her.

"What? You said yourself that you didn't want to tell them, so I did it for you." She explained in a matter of fact manner, shrugging her shoulders. "Everyone was going to find out one way or another, might as well get it over with."

King Julien opened his mouth to make a counter argument but then shut it again, for he didn't have a counter argument.

Then they all heard Xixi screaming at an increasing volume until there was a loud bang against the outside of the plane. Then Xixi came flying in through the doorway and landed in front of King Julien.

"King Julien, is it true? Is Zora really having Uncle King Julien's _baby_?" She asked anxiously.

"Yeah...yeah, it's true." King Julien said awkwardly.

Xixi scowled, then turned to Uncle King Julien, demanding to know, "Then why are you here!? Why don't you leave us alone and go grovel to the mountain lemurs?! You never tortured them and you know Sage will let you stay, no questions asked!"

"Have you all forgotten that Clover is married to Sage and is the mountain lemur's queen now?! It doesn't matter how he or they feel, she's _never_ gonna allow me to live in her kingdom, end of story!" The older Julien snapped back with exasperated conviction.

"Is it?" King Julien asked meekly.

"What?" His uncle asked, confused.

"I mean, maybe...maybe you two _should_ talk things over with Clover. And Sage too." King Julien cautiously proposed.

"Have you not been listening!? Clover. Loathes. Your uncle!" Zora reminded him, slow and exasperated.

"But she doesn't hate you or the baby! Yes, Clover is rough, extremely rough but she's not heartless! She...and she's coming back here any day now and I'm not gonna try and hide you guys from her and I'm pretty sure the peoples are not going to able to keep their mouths shut! So yeah, Clover's gonna figure out what's going on one way or another, so we might as well invite her and Sage over and get it over with!" The younger Julien desperately reasoned, Zora's words about his people finding out and being once again reminded of his friend having sparked the idea in his brain.

Both Uncle King Julien and Zora opened their mouths to make counter arguments but then shut them, for neither had a counter argument. The couple looked at each other, Zora letting out a defeated sigh and nodding her head. Then they turned back at King Julien.

"Augh, fine! We'll talk to her!" Uncle King Julien begrudgingly conceded.

"Okay, okay good." King Julien said to them, feeling a tiny bit better for at least having a plan. Then he turned to Xixi. "Xixi, you'll be like a whole lot faster then a letter. Fly to The Mountain Lemur Kingdom and let Clover and Sage know that they need to come here today! Like, immediately! Go girl, go!" King Julien ordered her.

"On it!" Xixi said, taking flight and going out the door.

King Julien really didn't want to cut Clover's downtime short but this was a really important matter and she deserved to know what was going on.

He knew that her opinion on the matter was going to be a very angry one but his heart told him that she could consider giving the living arrangement a chance if for nobody else then Zora. Because even though there was a dark cloud of doubt that Zora really was pregnant, there was possible that she really was and that possibility however big or small would reach Clover's heart. For even though she was capable of being quite cruel and cynical at times, Clover had a good heart that truly believed in justice. And there was no justice in dismissing the pleas of an expectant mother.

If Clover did allow Zora and Uncle King Julien to live in her kingdom, it would ease everyone's hearts. Including those of King Julien's peoples, who dreaded the thought of their former king coming back into their lives and their current king didn't blame them one bit for feeling that way. King Julien didn't want his uncle back either but he also didn't want to turn him and Zora away if they had nowhere else to go but if Clover couldn't be swayed, then would he allow them to stay in his kingdom?

.

.

.

He prayed that it didn't come to that.

By the time screeches were heard and the approaching silhouettes of hawks were seen, the sun was dipping down towards the horizon, it's light casting long shadows over the animals waiting anxiously around the baobab tree. By that time, just about the entire kingdom was gathered there and were in on King Julien's plan. No matter how unfavorable their opinions of him were, everyone unanimously agreed that Sage would welcome Uncle King Julien and Zora with arms wide open. While on the flip side, their opinions were less unanimous when it came to Clover. Some believing that her compassion could prevail and that it was possible she would begrudgingly allow the couple to live with her while others were dead set on her being a heartless bitch who would leave them high and dry to deal with the couple themselves. So there was a whirlwind of mixed emotions when four hawks landed among the gathering, Clover and Xixi on Shadow's back with Sage and two other mountain lemurs on the back's of their hawks.

Immediately after touching the ground, Clover hopped off Shadow and looked frantically about until she spotted King Julien, who had come down from the plane along with the others and was now among the crowd. Julien had hardly spotted Clover when she came rushing at him, tackling him into a tight hug.

"We came as soon as we could." Clover said apologetically.

"Th-that's okay, your kingdom is quite the ways away." King Julien reassured her in good humor, then adding tenderly, "Really, I'm glad you're here.", before gladly returning the hug. The two friends stayed like that for a moment or two before pulling apart.

"Sorry to cut your break short." King Julien said, awkwardly apologetic.

"This is far more important, your majesty. I'm glad you told me.", Was Clover's solemn response. This troubled Julien and he thought to himself with sad concern,

"But your happiness _is_ important, Clover."

"We've got to schedule more fun visits." Julien told Clover humorously, who gave a short amused snort and smirked in spite of herself.

"Heh, yeah, that would be great." Clover said wistfully. Then the smirk was gone and she was once again serious as she told Julien, "But right now, we've got more pressing matters at hand.", looking over Julien's shoulder. He followed her gaze and saw his uncle and Zora, the couple looking uneasily among the crowd, who kept their distance. Clover and Julien made their way towards them.

"So, we met again." Clover sternly addressed Uncle King Julien, her narrowed eyes critical as she looked upon her old enemy.

"Believe me, I ain't exactly thrilled to see you either." Uncle King Julien surly said to her, scowling right back.

"Greetings." Sage said, suddenly appearing beside Clover and startling King Julien. "Congratulations on the joining of your two souls creating a most wondrous miracle of the universe." He told Uncle King Julien and Zora in a whimsical manner.

This earned him an eye roll from Clover and puzzled looks from everyone else.

"Uh, are you congratulating us?" Zora dumbly asked.

"Oh yes, cause you're going to be such a _great_ parent. Real _father_ of the year material right here." Clover said obviously sarcastically and directed at Uncle King Julien, earning her glares from both him and Zora.

The younger Julien got between them, wearing a nervous fake smile and asking, "So uh, Clover, what's with the uh, entourage?" He nodded towards the two mountain lemurs who had arrived with her and Sage and were remaining close to their hawks. Both looked like typical mountain lemurs, tall with short black and white fur with muscles that looked like they could pull a full grown tree right out of the ground and throw it like a javelin. One was fat and had amber eyes while the other was leaner and showed one green eye, the other either gone or covered under the eye patch he wore on the left side of his face.

Clover looked over at her subjects then back to King Julien, giving her friend a small smile as she said, "They're here to help escort your uncle and Zora back to our kingdom, where they will be staying."

"What?" King Julien asked with breathless disbelief and he wasn't the only one shocked. His subjects had gone silent so they could hear his conversation with their visitors both expected and unexpected, so they too had heard Clover's words and they too stared at her in utter bewilderment as did Uncle King Julien and Zora, all stunned into momentary muteness. All except King Julien, who incredulously asked his friend,

"Wait, hold the phone. You're seriously going to let my uncle, who you hate...loathe..._despise_ more then _anybody_ live in your kingdom, just like that? I don't...I don't understand."

"It's simple, really. You know the saying 'keeping your friends close and your enemies closer'? Well, this way I can keep your uncle _very close_." Clover explained in a calm, calculated manner with a dark edge to her words. Then she turned to the older Julien and narrowed her jungle eyes. "And you _will _be kept close. You will be under surveillance at all hours, day and night. You will not be permitted to leave village grounds without an approved escort. You will follow my orders, you will respect my authority and be a good citizen who causes no trouble. Do I make myself clear?" She told him firm and commanding and letting him know without a shadow of a doubt that it wasn't a request.

Uncle King Julien looked her in the eyes and solemnly said to her, "Crystal clear."

"Good." Clover then turned to Zora and told her in the same severe tone, "You're under surveillance as well and the same goes for you."

"Hey, why does she…!?" Uncle King Julien started to object until Zora laid a firm paw on his shoulder, causing him to startle and look at her in confusion.

"I figured as much. I won't be any trouble either." Zora said calm and subdued. She then looked to her lover and told him steadfast and gentle, "I'll be fine, really. We'll be together and safe, that's all that matters."

After a moment or two of reluctance, slowly the older Julien's body relaxed under Zora's touch and his eyes softened under her gaze. He mirrored her own tender, concerned look, gently laying a paw over her's that was on his shoulder. They stayed like that for some moments and it was all the younger Julien, Clover and others close by could do but stare.

Then the lovers let go and the older Julien turned back to Clover, once again hardened as he grumbled,

"We won't cause any trouble."

"I'm holding you both to that." Clover said firm and final.

"Clover?" Clover heard from behind. She turned to see King Julien staring at her once more but before she could react, he rushed over and tackled her into a tight hug.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." He said soft and sincere, his words low and raspy as he was overcome with joy, relief, and gratitude among other emotions.

Stunned at first, Clover hugged her friend back. "Of course. It's really the smarter arrangement and...and you've dealt with that demon far too much already." She said calmly at first, then whispered in anger and sorrow as she thought about all the pain her dear friend had endured because of his uncle, squeezing him tight. King Julien thought about his uncle too, letting out a sigh of relief as he melted into his friend's embrace.

They pulled apart and King Julien turned to his uncle and Zora to quickly gleefully tell them, "Congrats on your new home!", before turning to his subjects, joyfully proclaiming, "You heard her right, peoples! My uncle and Zora are gonna stay in The Mountain Lemur Kingdom!"

While King Julien's people were relieved that their former cruel king wouldn't be living among them again, most all were still greatly concerned that either a helpless infant would be in the old bastard's care or that it was just another one of his tricks. But knowing that Clover and the mountain lemurs would be keeping close tabs of him helped make them feel a little better. For no matter what their individual opinions of Clover were, all knew that she didn't trust Uncle King Julien for one second and that she would truly watch him like a hawk ready to strike him down at the first sign of trouble. So they were able to feel some joy along with their current king.

Watching King Julien, Maurice, and others, seeing the relief on their faces, warmed Clover's heart. That warmth spread throughout her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes like she was sitting by a well tended to campfire soothing her cold, aching bones. Her friends and all the other citizens of King Julien's kingdom, they were the reason she was doing this, they were what made it worth while and she smiled at that, small and sincere,

From nearby, she heard Sage reassuring Uncle King Julien and Zora that, "Don't worry. Just as the seasons change, so too will Clover's heart. In time, it's drawbridge will open forth and will allow you two to truly bloom along side the fruits of your love." His words were like gasoline poured unto the imaginary campfire, making grow much too large, it's fuzzy warmth now annoyingly, scolding hot. Clover's softened expression hardened, her smile flipped into a snarl as she clenched her jaws but before she could say or do anything, a voice with a similar accent to her own made itself known.

"So that's it then?"

Clover turned to see the mountain lemur with the eye patch coming towards her, glaring at her through his one jungle colored eye.

"What are you going on about, Campion?" Clover asked harshly. Campion, captain of the mountain lemur army and who Clover had chosen to be an escort that day. She had a bad feeling she knew what he was talking about but prayed that she was wrong.

"How you're really going through with this without considering your people's feelings, that's what!" Campion told her in outrage, his bellow piercing through the surrounding chatter.

Heads turned, animals went silent and King Julien came back towards Clover, growing nervous as he asked her, "Clover, what's he talking about?", but before Clover could give an answer, Campion gave his own.

"I'm talking about how _no one _in our kingdom besides 'our dear king and queen' wants that monster living with us!" He explained, describing Sage and Clover with bitter sarcasm before switching back to sincere bitterness, pointing a finger towards Uncle King Julien, he and Zora just as taken aback by this outburst as anyone.

"Fine, yes, the whole arrangement isn't very popular with our people, okay?!" Clover begrudgingly admitted to King Julien.

"That's an understatement! No one and I mean _no one_ besides _you two _agreed to letting the old bastard into our home!" Campion pointed an accusing finger at both Clover and Sage, who unlike everyone else, remained perfectly placid.

"Campion, I don't like this either but this is not our decision to make..." The other escort timidly told him, tentatively taking a step away from her hawk.

"Shut up Minerva!" Campion snapped at her. Minerva cowered back, laying her hands on her hawk's ruffled gray feathers, the bird's body tense as he glared amber daggers at Campion.

"Don't you tell her to shut up!" Clover snapped at Campion. "She's right! This is _not_ your decision! So do as you're told and shut your bleeding gums!"

"No!" Campion snapped back in defiance.

"But-but I don't understand! Why are you so against my uncle living with you guys!?" King Julien asked, shaken and confused and desperately hoping to defuse the situation. "I mean, yeah I totally agree he's done some pretty messed up junk but he's never done anything bad to _you guys..._right?" King Julien looked to his uncle, the idea making him increasingly nervous, hoping that it wasn't so. "Uncle?"

"No, I haven't! I swear! At least...I don't think I have..." Uncle King Julien said with great conviction at first, to his nephew, to Zora but that confidence waned and he racked his brain, desperately trying to remember any past encounters with mountain lemurs before Zora, before The War of The Beasts, where he had briefly worked with his nephew to take down Koto so he could later steal his nephew's throne for himself. The Mountain lemurs were grateful to be rid of their cruel king, so they weren't angry with him over that and he couldn't for the life of him remember bumping into any of them before. Then again, he had done so many horrible things over the years, it was entirely possible that he had done something to a mountain lemur or lemurs that he didn't remember, that Zora didn't know about but Campion did. His eyes went wide with horror, the possibility punching the wind out of his lungs, breathlessly asking Campion, "Did I?"

"No, you haven't harmed any of us mountain lemurs." Campion grumbled. Seeing the relief wash over the older Julien's face deepened the scowl on Campion's and he snapped, "But you have committed vile crimes against countless others and I will not stand for a monster like you living among my people, not again!" The older Julien winced back from his words.

"Wait, again? Are you...talking about Koto?" Maurice asked, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place.

"Yes." Campion said darkly.

Koto, the former tyrant king of the mountain lemurs. Koto, who lead his people to lay devastation and death across countless lands, slaughtering countless innocents. Koto, who conquered all of the kingdoms on the island, forcing the captured citizens to be unpaid interns, who he planned to kill once they had completed the giant statue of Koto himself. Koto, who was defeated when all the other kingdoms plus some unlikely allies banded together as one army. Koto, who was crushed to death by his statue, which King Julien accidentally toppled over. Koto, who still haunted nightmares across the island including those of his former subjects.

"We don't want someone like him among us, never again."

"Campion, please. Yes, Julien did terrible, terrible things but believe me when I say that he's not the lemur that he was. He's different now. He's changed, for the better. Please, if you would just give him a chance to prove it." Zora implored.

"Oh wow, why didn't you just say so? That changes everything! Of course he can stay with us! Let's give him a big welcome party with punch and cookies and while we're at it, Clover can make him top royal advisor! No, even better, Clover and Sage should step down and let him be king! Wouldn't that be just swell!" Campion told her in an over the top, blatantly mocking, sarcastically happy manner.

"Okay, I get it, you don't believe me." Zora told him with a bitter snarl.

Campion switched back to his sincerely cynical tone. "You're right, I don't and why should I? Cause _you _say so? Cause _he_ says so?"

"He doesn't just say so, he acts so! If you could just see him..."

"Oh, I'm sure he acts plenty sweet and loving with you. Tells you that he no longer has any desire to torture innocents or kill his nephew or be king again all because your love has redeemed him, that he's kind and gentle now all because of you. Bet that makes you feel real special, doesn't it? Makes you wanna do anything to make him happy, doesn't it?" Campion inquired, so sure of himself and what he was implying. Clover had a bad feeling of what that was and thought darkly to herself, "Don't you _dare_..."

"What are you saying?" Zora said with snarl, having a bad feeling about what he meant, wanting to hear him say it out loud.

"I'm saying that monster planned to use you and your child to weasel his way back into this kingdom so he can then kill King Julien and steal his throne!" Campion proclaimed. Clover could have strangled him until he turned blue right then and there, her trembling fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"Julien's not using us! He came here for us, asking for help so that we can safe!" Zora earnestly argued.

"He came here for himself and you know it! For the love of...you lived under Koto! You know what bastards like him are capable of and yet you're still allowing one to control you!"

"My Julien's not controlling me! He loves me and I love him! I love that he can admit he was wrong, that he's rethinking so much and trying so hard to be a better person!" Zora continued to argue passionately, softening as she spoke of her lover. Then her scowl returned and she said snidely, "Maybe you would see that too if you just gave him a chance!"

"I'll give him nothing!" Campion snapped back. Then, his demeanor changed. His scowl flipped into a smile, his jungle eyes became tame and his voice took on a gentler tone as he told her, "But I am giving you something. A chance to leave that brute. Leave him, come back with us. We'll take care of you and the baby, we'll help you raise them..."

"I'd rather raise them with their dad." Zora said with a steadfast snarl as she looked Campion dead on. Campion's smile flipped back into a sneer, his jungle eye became feral once more, narrowing it and saying to her with composed fury,

"So, you're really choosing him over your child then?"

"I'm choosing both." Zora told him, her snarl unyielding even as she felt his words boring down deep into her heart like knives. Meanwhile, Uncle King Julien was fuming. His body trembling, his fists tight at his sides, an inferno blazing in his eyes while his mind scrambled to find the words to express his roaring rage. Zora then grabbed him from behind and he could feel her body trembling as she held him close. He looked and saw that she had started crying while continuing to glare at Campion and he felt like knives were boring down deep into his own heart. For a moment, the inferno in his eyes was put out and his expression softened into sorrow. Then he looked over at Campion and that brought the blaze back into full force.

"You shut your fucking mouth!" Uncle King Julien snapped, arguing passionately, "Zora has been doing _everything_ she can for the baby, doing _everything_ possible so that they'll be okay! She cares about them so much, don't you fucking _dare_ say that she doesn't!"

Campion was taken aback for a moment, then snarled, "Why you..."

"That's enough!" Clover shrieked furiously, marching over to stand toe to toe with Campion. "You have gone way out of line, solider! I'm ordering you to stand down and shut up or face severe punishment! Do I make myself clear?!" She glared at him through feral eyes and it was all Campion could do but flinch and stare back at his queen in silent shock. Then he narrowed his eye and looked out over the surrounding crowd, sneering as he said,

"Oh, like how this lot wants to punish you?" He turned back to Clover at the last word.

Clover's eyes went wide, then quickly narrowed, saying with a dangerously low snarl, "That has nothing to do with you being an insubordinate ass!"

"Oh but I think it has _everything_ to do with the current situation! After all, this lot isthe reason you _really_ want to take in the old bastard and Zora, aren't they!? Them and King Julien, who you know would never turn his uncle and Zora away if they had nowhere else to go or even think of separating them cause he's that much of a soft hearted sod who has to give _everyone_ the benefit of the doubt, even cruel bastards who have proven time and again that they don't deserve it! So you want to take that dilemma off his paws and spare his feelings and those of his sniveling subjects cause you're racked with guilt for leaving them! You feel like you have to make it up to him, to all of them no matter what, your own feelings or those of your people be damned!"

"I left them for dead! Lemurs are dead because of me! So yes, this is me trying to make it up to everyone and even if it wasn't, they still shouldn't have to deal with the monster who tortured them!" Clover passionately argued.

"So you'll torture your own people instead?" Campion snidely snarled.

Clover punched Campion square in the jaw, sending the large lemur slamming down to the ground.

"You have never dealt with Uncle King Julien's cruelty. They have!" Clover snapped, spreading out an arm to point out the crowd. "So Zora and him are going to live in our kingdom. End of story! So shut the fuck up and get over it!" Her jungle eyes were feral, her teeth bared as she sneered down at Campion from where he lay in the dirt.

Slowly, Campion propped himself up to all fours, looking up at Clover. Darkness shadowed his face, baring his own teeth as he stared at her for a moment or two. Then suddenly, he bellowed out a raging war cry and lunged towards her.


	11. Chapter 11

Before Clover could even blink, Campion slammed into her, sending them both to the ground where they were instantly locked into a thrashing frenzy of fur, both bellowing out red hot battle cries.

Shadow let out a terror stricken shriek and rushed towards Clover when another hawk barreled into her side, sending Shadow sliding, gripping the ground with her talons to stay upright. She skidded to a halt and saw the same hawk with his head bowed, yellow feathers ruffled on his arched back, looking ready to pounce as he glared blazing daggers aimed for her throat. It was Campion's hawk and when he let out a shriek and lunged towards her, Shadow sprang right back at him. The two birds collided and proceeded to thrash, flap and snap at each other in their own quarrel.

But it was the one between queen and captain that truly caught the crowd's attention, all watching in shock and horror as that battle waged on. As teeth and claws dug deep into skin, blood oozing out of broken flesh, the red warm liquid clinging to fur and splattered out unto the grass. As red, black and white fur was shed and tossed to the breeze, just as training, comradeship and caution were as well with every bite, kick and scratch. As hopes, fears, and regrets all fueled Clover and Campion's fury, propelled them to keep going, to refuse surrender.

And it was all Clover's friends, allies and husband could do at first but watch along with everyone, desperately wanting to help but they too paralyzed by panic. Then finally, King Julien was able to break free of his petrified state, rushing to grab Sage by the arm, furiously shaking the larger lemur as he desperately begged him to him, "Do something, Sage! Please, before Clover gets really hurt! You're big and strong, you can stop this! Please!"

Sage slowly started to come out of his paralyzed panic, in a daze at first as he looked from King Julien looking up at him with pleading eyes to Clover and Campion. Then the clouds parted in his mind, his expression brightened and he declared with confidence, "I will stop this!"

Sage then stepped forward and began to beseech his wife and captain, earnestly telling them that, "Vengeance and shame clouds are blocking out the sun beams of your minds. I beseech thee, take a breath. Blow away those dark clouds with the breeze of forgiveness towards one's self and others." Sage closed his eyes, balanced himself on his tail, crossed his legs and held his paws out in a meditating position. "Only then can the sunshine of your soul truly shine. Please, bring your sunshine out."

One of King Julien's eyes twitched and his fists balled up tight and trembled at his sides. In that moment, he could have bashed Sage's thick skull in and he wasn't the only one, others having their own scathing remarks for Clover's husband but it was King Julien who beat them to the punch.

"I meant pulling them apart, you stupid bastard!" Julien snapped. Sage didn't pay any mind to the insult but carried on reciting greeting card like phrases while Clover and Campion carried on without hearing a single word. "Ugh! You're useless! Somebody, actually do something!" Julien demanded with desperate exasperation, frantically looking about for someone, anyone who would help his dear friend.

"I'll save you, Clover!" Mort declared as he valiantly rushed towards his friend and Campion but when he got within range, Clover's foot struck his tiny body, sending him flying backwards at high speed before slamming into a tree, bouncing off that and slamming face first down unto the ground and skidding a distance before coming to a halt.

"Mort!" Maurice cried out in grave concern. He, King Julien, Rob and Dr. S rushed over to Mort's side. King Julien then picked Mort up, flipping him over and held him in his arms.

Mort let out a pained groan and opened his eyes to slits. "I'm sorry, Clover." He apologized, his voice weak. Then he lost consciousness.

The others looked at each other helplessly, no one knowing what to do. Maurice then frantically looked about, searching for some way to help Clover, when he spotted Minerva still cowering by her hawk, watching her queen and captain's violent struggle in wide eyed horror. Maurice rushed over towards her with the others following suit.

"Hey! Hey, you!" Maurice called to Minerva. She turned to him, surprised and confused. "What's your name again?"

"Minerva." Minerva told him, now wary and confused.

"Minerva, you've got to stop Clover and Campion! Please, you're strong, you can pull them apart!" Maurice begged her.

"Are you nuts?! You just saw what happened to your friend!" Minerva said incredulously, briefing looking at Mort still in King Julien's arms. "That's what gonna happen to _me_ if I get anywhere near them!" She anxiously argued. Maurice opened his mouth to argue back but Minerva went on to say, "Campion will not stop until he stops Clover! And Clover won't stop until she stops Campion! Even if I am able to grab one of them, they'll _pummel_ me until I let them go and the other will be helping them so the two of them can go right back to fighting!

"I can grab one and you can grab the other!" Dr. S volunteered without hesitation. Then everyone looked expectantly at Minerva for her response.

Minerva hesitated, mind frantically going over how things could go horribly wrong and the domino effect of increasingly horrible events happening because of that. But everyone's pleading expressions made her conscience progressively persistent, ringing louder and louder in her ears until she couldn't take it anymore. Until she begrudgingly conceded, telling Dr. S, "Ahhhh, fine! You grab Campion, I'll grab Clover!"

"Great, let's go!" Dr. S said with determination, starting to spring right into action but Minerva frantically told him to,

"Wait!"

The snake doctor stopped in his tracks and looked over his non existent shoulders to give her an annoyed look.

"We can't just go charging in!" Minerva anxiously told him.

"Why not!?" Was Dr. S's snippety question.

"Hello! Your friend just tried that and look what happened to him!" Was Minerva's snippety response.

"Mort's tiny! We're big and strong! We'll be fine!" Dr. S argued angrily.

"_I'm_ not doing anything until there's a better plan!" Minerva snapped.

"Like what!?" Dr. S snapped back.

"Like...a distraction? Get Clover and Campion's attention long enough to give us an opening so we don't get clobbered!" Minerva frantically thought of on the spot, her last few words snappy.

"Fine! We'll...we'll throw rocks at them!" Dr. S declared, scanning the ground until he found a good size rock. Then he picked it up and aimed for Clover and Campion.

"No! Those could hurt Clover!" Maurice frantically warned, greatly concerned and stepping into his line of fire. Then he angrily added, "Or they'll get kicked like Mort and hurt somebody else!"

"So what are we supposed to throw? Leaves!?" Dr. S mockingly suggested, rapidly losing patience by this point.

"There's got to be a better way!" Maurice argued.

"There's no time! Clover needs our help now!" Dr. S argued back.

"We can't help her unless we have an actually plan!"

"I have a plan!"

"A good plan!" Maurice critically corrected.

While they argued, Rob looked over in great concern at King Julien, who was frantically racking his brain trying to think of something, anything to draw Clover and Campion's attentions without hurting anyone. Julien frantically looked every which a way, hoping against hope that something would pop out and give him an idea, when his eyes fell on his uncle and Zora.

The couple was watching this all happen while looking as shocked and horrified as everyone else, standing close together with one of his uncle's arms stretched out in front of Zora. Signaling her to stand back. Shielding her.

King Julien told himself that this was all his fault. It was all his idea to try and dump the couple on Clover, make her deal with his uncle so that he wouldn't have to, so that his people wouldn't. But also because Julien knew that he wouldn't be able to turn his uncle and Zora away if they had nowhere else to go and he was terrified that his people would never forgive him for taking in their abusive ex-king. But now, because of him, Clover was now in serious trouble with her own peoples.

King Julien looked back to Campion and Clover. Campion said that no one else besides Clover and Sage had agreed to his uncle living with them. How many lemurs were angry enough that they would follow the captain's example and rebel against the royal couple for that decision? If the issue wasn't resolved soon, would Clover and Sage have a kingdom wide uprising against them. If so, what would happen to then?

Sage would give up and walk away if given the chance but Clover wouldn't. She'd fight to get her and her husband's kingdom back but King Julien wouldn't be able to help her do that. He'd want to more then anything but he had to think of his own peoples. He couldn't just drag them into another kingdom's conflict especially since they were still recovering from their own recent problems. Not to mention that they were rightfully angry with Clover and Sage since they were two of the biggest reasons for said problems and most certainly would be against helping them. And Julien didn't want to force them to do it and neither would Clover. Julien also didn't want to put everybody's lives in danger and again, neither would Clover.

King Julien could and would give Clover and Sage sanctuary. He would beg Clover to give up, stay in his kingdom where she and Sage were safe and let Campion or somebody else rule the mountain lemurs. But Julien knew that wouldn't happen. That even if Campion and other mountain lemurs were angry enough to try and kill her for it, that Clover would never stop trying to get her kingdom back. And even if she did decide to throw in the towel and stay with Julien, there would still be lemurs who didn't have a safe place to stay.

If his uncle and Zora were telling the truth, then they needed a safe place for Zora and the baby or else the lives of both mother and child would be in danger. They needed other lemurs to help them and if not the mountain lemurs then...

"What if they stayed here?" King Julien blurted out loud, stunned and low, though Rob still heard him.

"What?" Rob asked, confused.

Julien faced him. "What if...what if Zora and my uncle stayed here, in this kingdom?" He reiterated, shocked and frightened by his own words but also saying them with slowly growing conviction.

Rob himself was deeply shocked and hung his mouth open in dumbfounded silence. But before he could speak, Julien passed Mort to him, then turned and walked a short distance towards Clover and Campion. Then he stopped, screwed every ounce of courage that he could and shouted in their direction,

"What if Zora and uncle stayed here?!"

His words didn't reach them, though they did reach Dr. S and Maurice, who dropped the rock they had been furiously tugging back and forth between each other and looked at King Julien as though he had just suggested inviting fossa over for dinner. Julien's words also reached Minerva and others and they too stared incredulously at the lemur king as he continued to scream.

"What if Zora and my uncle stayed here?!" King Julien shouted ever louder and although their intended targets still didn't hear them, other's ears picked up his words including those of Uncle King Julien and Zora. They along with an ever growing audience stared at the younger Julien, stupefied by his cries which he made with all his might, making as much as noise as his protesting lungs could muster until finally,

"What if Zora and my uncle stayed heeeeeeeeeere?!"

Clover and Campion heard his desperate call, pausing and pulling away from each other, both looking to King Julien and shouting an incredulous,

"What?!"

King Julien gasped at the ugly gash though Clover's forehead and the trail of blood trickling from it and down her face.

Then quick as lightning, Dr. S and Minerva bolted past King Julien and tackled Campion and Clover, Dr. S swiftly wrapping his coils around Campion and squeezing the resentful rebel in an iron grip.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Campion demanded as he squirmed like a worm caught on a hook but Dr. S kept his steadfast hold.

"Hmmm, let me think. No!" Dr. S told him, calmly at first as he pretended to think things over before switching to sincere fury, pulling Campion closer then showing him a wide contemptuous hiss. Campion kept his scowl as he faced rows of razor sharp fangs and amber eyes blazing like raging infernos ready to burn him to a crisp.

Meanwhile, Minerva wrapped her arms around Clover, pinning the queen's arms to her sides with one arm and pinning her legs with the other.

"Let me go this instant! That's an order, solider!" Clover barked as she furiously struggled to break free of her subject's iron hold.

"No!" Minerva shouted in defiance, sounding more confident then she felt, already fearing what sort of punishment she would receive for this insubordination. Still, fear for her queen's safety won over fear for her own self and she held on.

King Julien watched all this happening with both great relief that the fighting had stopped and concern over Clover's injuries. Then he heard hushed voices coming from behind him and turned around.

And Julien found that he had caught not only Clover and Campion's attentions but those of most everyone gathered there as well. That almost all eyes present had shifted to him, staring at him with great shock, disbelief and interest. Julien stared wide eyed back at the crowd, swallowing hard, feeling very small under so many eyes.

"King Julien!"

Clover's panic stricken cry stabbed through King Julien's heart and he quickly turned back towards his friend, the pain becoming agonizing from seeing her looking so scared and sounding so desperate as she pleaded with him,

"Please, please tell me you're not being serious! Please tell me you're not actually going to let your uncle live here?!"

"Of course not!" Dr. S tried to reassure her with confidence. "He just said that to distract you and Campion! Right Mister King Julien? Mister King Julien?" He became less confident when King Julien didn't respond right away.

For the lemur king was deep in thought, his companion's words making him realize that he could take back his proposal. That he could say that he was just kidding so as to stop the fighting. That he wasn't really considering letting his uncle and Zora live in his kingdom. That would make Clover and most everybody else feel better...for the moment but it wouldn't make any of the other problems go away, not really. It wouldn't change the fact there was possibly a growing family that needed a safe place to live. That Campion and possibly other mountain lemurs might rebel against Clover and Sage. Or that if something wasn't done sooner than later, then multiple lives (possibly including one that hadn't even begun yet) could all end up in grave danger.

Julien closed his eyes and took a shaky deep breath. Then he reopened his eyes and looked around at everyone, all having gone silent as they too waited with bated breath for his answer. Then he turned back to Clover and tried his best to control the tremor in his voice as he solemnly said,

"I am serious."

Clover let out a trembling gasp then slowly shook her head as she stared at her friend in frozen horror, hoping against hope that this was all just a horrible nightmare. As guilt gripped King Julien's heart, squeezing ever tighter as an avalanche of voices came from the crowd, slamming into him like a tidal wave.

"Please! Please, let me explain!" King Julien beseeched his people, desperately trying to make himself heard over the clamor of the crowd, frantically turning about until he spotted Zora and his uncle. The couple looked back at him with shock and fear and all their hopes and fears that they had spoken of that day came to the forefront of Julien's mind. New determination came over Julien, who then furrowed his brow, looked back to his people and commanded them to,

"Listen to me!" This was able to quiet the clamor down to murmurs. "Thank you." Julien thanked his people, then proceeded to earnestly plead with them, brief assertiveness quickly crumbling to reveal a frightened and compassionate heart.

"My uncle has hurt all of you _so much_ and I'm not asking you to forget that. I'm not asking you to forgive him or let him live here for his sake at all. I'm asking you to do this for a little baby whose done nothing to nobody. I'm asking you to do this for Zora, whose only crime is being in love and starting a family and-and wanting to keep that family together. I...I'm begging you to let both Zora and my uncle stay here with their baby. Let all three of them stay here so they can be safe and together. Please, don't punish Zora for what my uncle has done. Don't let her suffer when she didn't do anything wrong."

There were some murmurs, whispers to one's neighbors among the crowd but no roaring responses. No 'How dare you' or 'You've gone mad' or 'Nope, not doing that'. No cries of outrage at all. Just hushed talking and looks among each other, at their current king, their former king and his lover, Clover and Campion. Taking their time to think over the lemur king's plea.

Meanwhile, Campion fumed until he couldn't take the crowd's pensiveness anymore, shouting at them in outrage, "Are you kidding me!? You can't actually be considering...I'm not trying to punish Zora or make her suffer! I'm trying to help her! Get her and her baby away from a monster whose nephew doesn't have the balls to stand up to! So I am!"

"Oh, will you cut the hero crap already?!" Zora snapped. "Help me? By being a brute and a bully and treating everyone like garbage? Including me, the one you're supposedly trying to help!?"

"I am trying to help you!" Campion was taken aback by Zora's outburst at first but snapped out of it to argue in defense.

"You've been beating and mocking everyone whose offered to help me, whose offered to take me _and_ my Julien!" Zora argued, adding her lover with extra angry emphasis.

"King Julien and Sage are too blinded by their own bleeding hearts to see the truth and Clover doesn't give a flying fuck about you! She just wants to use you to appease this lot and keep tabs of _your__ Julien_!" Campion angrily argued back, repeating the affectionate name with an edge of mocking.

"At least Clover's honest about not respecting me!"

"What!?"

"At least Clover is honest about not respecting me, unlike _you_." Zora snarled, words dripping with venom, saying them slowly and carefully.

"What are you talking about!? I'm not the one who wants to use you for brownie points and to treat you like a criminal!" Campion argued, defensive and offended and referring to Clover wanting Zora to be under all hour surveillance along with Uncle King Julien.

"No, you're the one treating me like a child! A stupid child!" Zora snapped, then paused as she recalled something. Then she snarled, "Or a bitch willing to choose her boyfriend over her baby."

Of course Zora was referring to earlier when Campion said that she was choosing Uncle King Julien over their baby after refusing Campion's proposal to leave her boyfriend and raise the baby in The Mountain Lemur Kingdom without him. Everyone knew she was talking about that. Including Campion, who finally thought over his earlier words and as he did, the scowl melted off his face and was replaced by wide eyed horror.

"Zora, please I...I didn't mean...What I did mean...I..." Campion lamely offered, struggling to find the words as guilt gripped his heart.

"Shut up! Just shut up! Just do us all a favor and shut the fuck up!" Zora snapped.

Campion didn't say another word but continued to look pitifully at Zora, who went right on glaring back at him with pure contempt along with Uncle King Julien by her side. They stayed like that, everyone staying in that smothering silence that felt like it went on for an eternity as a million different thoughts and emotions filled their minds.

Hector turned his attention from his own troubled thoughts to the thickening darkness on the ground and in the sky overhead. By then, the sun had dipped into the horizon, leaving the inky night to spill out over the sky where it was in the process of blanketing the remaining light of day. Then Hector looked back down to King Julien. Then to Uncle King Julien and Zora. Then back to King Julien. Then he let out a tired, defeated sigh before speaking.

"Look, it's getting late. Some of us have been here for _hours_ and some should probably get patched already." Hector irritably pointed out and referred to Campion, Clover, and Mort (who was still passed out). "I say, Uncle King Julien and Zora spend the night and we all get back to this in the morning. Fair enough?" Hector looked around at his fellow citizens before his gaze landed on King Julien.

"Uh...y-yes! Yes, that's fair! That's totally fair!" King Julien's response to Hector went from stunned to enthusiastic. Then he nervously asked his other subjects, "That sound fair to you guys?" No one protested, at least not out loud, with a few voicing their compliance.

"Okay. Okay then." King Julien said, stunned and relieved. Then he proclaimed, "We'll all meet back up at the high rock first thing tomorrow morning!"

At that, lemurs started to leave the clearing and as they did, King Julien looked back to Clover. She was now looking down at the ground and slowly shaking her head in disbelief. Julien's brief relief changed into great concern and he went over to Clover. Maurice felt the same way and he too walked over to his injured friend.

"Clover, I..." Julien started to say to Clover in gentle concern.

"Not here. I have plenty of things to say to you but not here." Clover firmly told him, looking up with a determined scowl on her face. Then she spoke to Minerva, irritably ordering her to, "Will you let me down already so I can talk to my friends in private?"

"Queen Clover, I really think that I should take you to the hospital." Minerva advised her while trying not to sound too anxious. For she too was worried about Clover's injuries, trying not to stare too much at the ugly gash on her queen's forehead and swearing that she could feel Clover's blood seeping unto her own fur.

"I don't need to go to the hospital! I need to stop Julien before he gets himself killed! Now let me go!" Clover barked and furiously flailed in Minerva's arms.

"No!" Minerva protested.

"Clover, please! You need to go to the hospital!" Julien begged.

"Clover, please stop! You're gonna hurt yourself even more!" Maurice pleaded.

"You're in really bad shape, Clover! You need to let me and Dr. S look you over!" Rob piped in, greatly concerned as well and walking over to join the group.

"No, I-Mort!" Clover started to object, looking around the group then stopping to stare at Mort lying unconscious in Rob's arms and crying out in alarm."Mort! What happened to him? Why is he unconscious?"

"Um...he tried to stop you and Campion by himself but one of you...accidentally...kicked him. Into a tree. Really hard." Rob reluctantly recounted.

"Oh." Clover said, stunned.

"Clover, we know you didn't mean..." Maurice started to try and reassure her.

"Alright, I'll go to the hospital. I'll let you patch me up. I wanna be there when Mort wakes up, so I can apologize." Clover conceded, ashamed and worried. Then she firmly told Julien and Maurice, "And you two are coming with us. We can talk there."

"O-of course! Absolutely. Julien said with Maurice nodding in agreement. They were planning to go there anyways but were relived that Clover had accepted help and also worried about her guilt over Mort.

So the group started to head towards the hospital with Sage, Dr. S and Campion joining them but they didn't cover much distance before Sage suddenly stopped and said,

"Wait."

"What, Sage?" King Julien asked irritably.

"I just thought of something. Where are you housing your uncle and Zora for the night?" Sage calmly inquired, unaffected by his fellow king's tone.

"I, uh…" Julien had absolutely no idea where his uncle and Zora were staying that night. He was tempted to snap at Sage, telling him that he would take care of that later but something deep inside stopped him. Instead, Julien looked over and saw that while his people were slowly and surely leaving the area, his uncle and Zora hadn't moved, both looking anxious and unsure as they watched lemur after lemur past them.

Julien let out a defeated sigh. Then he turned to Clover. "Clover, I need to talk to my uncle and Zora, figure out where they're going to sleep tonight. After I'm done with that, I promise that I'll come straight to the hospital and we can talk then." He promised, reluctant to leave her but not wanting to leave the couple to wait for who knows how long without somewhere to rest.

"Clover...I really should go and help him." Maurice told her, reluctant to leave her too but not wanting to leave King Julien to deal with his uncle and Zora by himself.

"You should. Go ahead, I'll be fine." Clover reassured both of her friends. She figured it was best to get that business over and down with and didn't want King Julien alone with his uncle and Zora.

And so the group split apart to go about their respective tasks.

….

"Abner, you awake?"

"Yeah."

That night, Abner and Becca lay in their bed but while their bodies were ready for sleep, their minds kept them awake. Both flipped over to face each other and the moonlight coming through the bedroom window shone down on them, helping them to see each other's matching troubled expressions.

"Can't sleep. Keep thinkin about Uncle King Julien and Zora." Abner admitted. "You?"

"Yeah..." Becca admitted, her voice low and her mind pensive. Then she became nervous as she asked, "Abner?"

"Yeah?"

"How...how that Campion fella treated Zora today...It-it ain't right...it-it was wrong. It's wrong!" Becca was hesitant at first but by the last word, her rage had come through and she slammed his fist down unto the bed. Then she continued on with furious passion. "And he dares go on about how he cares, how he's only 'trying to help'!" She said the last few words with bitter mocking then switched back to sincere bitterness. "But then she doesn't agree with his crap and suddenly she's the bad guy! And he can do no wrong treating her like trash! Just...just stupid trash...that no one wants..." Becca trailed off and Abner lay a concerned paw on hers as memories flooded back to both of them.

Memories of Becca desperately working to save Abner from the flaming wreckage of their former home with Abner beseeching her to leave him behind. Of helplessly watching as machine after machine tore the kingdom apart and not knowing if one would tear or burn it to the ground or blow them all to bits. Of not knowing if the freaks would keep their promise or if they would find a way off the island without Timo and leave them all for dead like they had tried to before. Of Abner once again beseeching Becca to save her own skin and she once again refusing to leave him. Of knowing that all of this was happening because Clover abandoned them, the freaks wanted to abandon them and King Julien kept taking their sides, doing all he could to make them happy while dismissing the pain of his own people. Saying that he cared for them while simultaneously stabbing them in the back over and over again.

Like Campion had done to Zora.

"Aaaaaaugh! What's wrong with me?!" Becca lamented angrily, flipping unto her back. "I'm supposed to be all about fighting the tyranny and yet here I am, feeling sorry for someone in love with a tyrant! And not just any tyrant! Our own psychopath of an ex tyrant who I have the _gall _to consider letting back into our lives! Yeah! I'm really considering agreeing with our current tyrant to let our former tyrant staying here all cause I feel that bad for a tyrant lover! Who ain't really pregnant! I just know it! I know Uncle King Julien and Zora are lying! That it's all part of their plot to get in and steal the throne and be our tyrant king and queen! I know it and I still wanna let them in and I'm sorry!"

Becca flipped back unto her side to face Abner as she earnestly apologized. "I'm sorry, Abner! I've betrayed you! Betrayed our cause! Everything we stand for!"

"Becca, please! You haven't betrayed me! I..." Abner started trying to reassure her but Becca kept insisting that,

"Yes I have! I'm siding with the enemy!"

"So am I! I feel bad for Zora! I wanna let her and Uncle King Julien stay when I know they're lying! You didn't betray me! I've betrayed you!" Abner passionately admitted, the guilt having been eating away at him as well.

Becca listened to her husband's confession in stunned silence but then got over her shock to try and reassure him, arguing that, "No! You ain't the traitor here, I am!"

"No, I'm the traitor!" Abner argued back.

"No, I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

Then the couple went quiet, their argument at a stand still. Their anger faded and they both let out tired sighs. Then they flipped unto their backs and silently stared up at the ceiling for a moment or two.

"What in Frank's name has gotten over us, Abner?" Becca wondered out loud in a daze, disoriented by this strange and frightening bout of compassion towards their enemies.

"Maybe all the recent trauma we've had has driven us to madness." Abner sadly offered.

To which Becca let out a short bitter chuckle and said with bitter woefulness, "You know what? I think you're right. Oh good gods, you're right and next thing ya know, we're gonna be inviting them over for tea and wanting to be best friends!"

"Well, if it does come to that, at least we'll snap out of it soon enough." Abner meekly tried to reassure Becca, who gave him a puzzled look. He added with confidence, "I mean, it'll be pretty obvious soon enough that Zora ain't pregnant, exposing her and Uncle King Julien in their lie and when that happens, surely we'll be snapped out of our crazy then."

Slowly, a wicked grin spread on Becca's face. "Yeah...yeah! And I say we do the exposing! I say before the sun comes up, we go around and convince folks to let those lying snakes in the grass live here so when they're exposed, _we _get to punish them! _We _the people get to have our revenge for everything that bastard's done to us! And when it's all said and done, things will make sense again and we'll be snapped out of our crazy! Ha ha, thank you, baby!" Becca proclaimed with wild triumph, flipping over partly unto Abner to hug him.

Abner was taken aback at first, happy to have made Becca feel better and also shocked by how well that had worked. How excited she now was at the idea of agreeing with their enemies. Even if it was part of a brilliant plan. Dear gods, Becca was brilliant. Abner then got over his shock and gladly hugged her back.

They lay content in each other's embrace, silently listening to their partner's soothing breathing for a while. Then after a time, they got up and out into the night to carry out Becca's plan.

…

Some time later, King Julien found himself in the dark.

"Hello? Hellooo?" Julien called out, puzzled as he turned his head this way and that but saw nothing but pure black all around. He held his hands right up to his face but still couldn't see even them. "Maurice? Clover? Somebody? Where am I? And why is it so dark here?!" He demanded from the darkness, growing anxious and annoyed.

Julien started to walk forward and felt a cool, hard surface beneath his feet as he continued to call out with increasingly vexation, "Can't really see where I'm going. It would great if _somebody_ turned on the lights!...Anybody!...Seriously, if this is some of kind of joke, it's not-oof!"

He had bumped into something but before he could reach out to touch it, a bright blinding light suddenly pierced through the darkness, causing him to shield his eyes with his arm. After a moment or two, he pulled his arm away and after blinking a few more times, saw that there was a spotlight before him, shining down on none other then Clover.

"Clover!" Julien cried out in relief, rushing over towards his friend and grabbing her shoulders as he eagerly told her, "Oh thank Frank, am I glad to see you! Can you tell me just what the heck is going on here?...Or where here is?" He became unnerved again as he looked around at the darkness surrounding them and their sole source of light. When she didn't respond right away, he asked, "Clover?"

"Believe me when I say we are telling the truth. That we need your help." Clover finally spoke and Julien was taken aback by how vulnerable she sounded, the fear on her face and within her eyes. Eyes begging him to listen.

"What the…? What are you talking about?" Julien asked, confused.

Then suddenly another spotlight appeared next to Clover's, this one shining down on Zora.

"Zora?" Julien expressed his surprise.

"I don't need a dad, I need a friend who will trust me to make my own choices." Zora calmly told him while clearly showing her hurt.

"A dad? I-I don't understand. Why are you...and why do I feel like I've heard this before already?" Julien asked as he grew increasingly confused, swearing that Zora and Clover's words felt familiar somehow. And then it hit him. Clover had said the same thing about needing a friend, not an overprotective dad after Julien apologized for being a horrible jerk back when she wanted to talk things through with Sage and Zora had just asked him for help and to believe her that very day. Or the previous day, Julien wasn't sure what time or day it was but he was certain that Clover and Zora were repeating each other.

"O-kay, why are you guys repeating each other?" Julien asked both lemurs but got no response.

Instead, two more spotlights appeared close by with his uncle and Rob standing in their light.

Rob slurped up some excess spit before speaking, sounding more anxious then ornery as he told King Julien, "We can't live in Feartopia by ourselves. Neither of us know...if something happens..." Fear flashed in his eyes just as it had for Uncle King Julien. Then Rob went on to say with more confidence, "The point is that we need to live with other lemurs and on this island, there are two options. The Mountain Lemur Kingdom...and your's."

"You all are my neighbors, this is my home and if there's a chance to protect it, to protect everyone, then why not go for it, no matter how crazy that method might be?" Uncle King Julien spoke earnestly, repeating Rob's words about how he did care for his fellow citizens and that's why he had agreed with King Julien about Dr. S protecting the kingdom.

Then another spotlight came on by the older Julien and Rob, this one shining down on Dr. S, who passionately argued that, "You shut your fucking mouth! Zora has been doing _everything_ she can for the baby, doing _everything_ possible so that they'll be okay! She cares about them so much, don't you fucking _dare _say that she doesn't!"

"But most of all, I'm doing it for Nurse Phantom." Uncle King Julien told his nephew, humble and sincere. The same way Dr. S had when he told Clover that he was taking his new security job seriously because he cared for his friend that much.

"...Would somebody please tell me what the heck is going on here?! Why are you all repeating each other and how are you two even doing that?!" King Julien cried out in exasperation and pointed to his uncle and Zora. "How are you repeating Clover or Rob or Dr. S when you weren't around to hear them say any of that stuff!?"

He was answered by yet another spotlight, this one shining down on Campion.

"You!" King Julien snarled and started towards him but then found himself suddenly bathed in light. "What the…?!"

"You heard me! Sage doesn't deserve you!" Campion started arguing with Zora. "You should have dumped his not sorry butt instead of marrying him but I get it! You were under the same stupid fog that we were but the fog has cleared and you're in your right mind again and you can see that Sage is horrible and you need to dump him!" King Julien felt familiar shame crawling under his skin, knowing that Campion was repeating his argument with Clover about dumping Sage.

"Wasn't in my right mind? Are you serious!?" Zora responded with offense and disbelief.

"You said yourself you regretted marrying him!"

"I said I regret marrying him so fast, not that we got married period!"

"Oh please, you so regret marrying that self-centered jerk, you just won't admit it." King Julien felt more and more disgusted with himself as Campion continued to parrot his words in the same patronizing manner in which he had spoken to Clover.

"Campion, please." Clover was suddenly next to King Julien, causing him to practically jump out of his skin in alarm and to let out a short yelp. Then he stared at his friend as she went to earnestly implore him. "Yes, Julien did terrible, terrible things but believe me when I say that he's not the lemur that he was. He's different now. He's changed, for the better. Please, if you would just give him a chance to prove it."

"Oh wow, why didn't you just say so? That changes everything! Of course he can stay with us! Let's give him a big welcome party with punch and cookies and while we're at it, Clover can make him top royal advisor! No, even better, Clover and Sage should step down and let him be king! Wouldn't that be just swell!" King Julien found himself parroting Campion's over the top, blatantly mocking, sarcastically happy words.

"Wait, what?! No! Why did I say that!? I didn't wanna say that!" King Julien said with shock and horror.

"Okay, I get it, you don't believe me." Clover said to him with a bitter snarl.

King Julien pressed his lips tightly together and covered them with both hands but something yanked them away and made his lips fly open so they could parrot Campion's response in the same cynical and dismissive tone, "You're right, I don't and why should I? Cause _you_ say so? Cause _he_ says so?"

Julien slapped his hands over his mouth and felt his heart sink upon seeing the wounded expression on Clover's face. He pulled his hands away and earnestly told her, "Clover, please. That wasn't me, it was Campion! I...I...I was wrong! Campion's wrong! It's wrong to dismiss everything that you and Zora have to say about Sage and my uncle! It's wrong to dismiss it as you two being love struck idiots who don't know what's good for you! To dismiss your feelings on the matter like they don't matter! They matter! They matter the most and you deserve to be heard!" Julien looked from Clover to Zora, tenderly telling them that, "You both deserve to be heard."

"King Julien, wake up!" Maurice's voice was suddenly booming from all around.

"Maurice? Where are you!?" King Julien called out, looking this way and that but seeing no sign of his friend.

"King Julien, wake up!" Maurice voice answered with greater urgency.

"Momo?!"

"Wake up!"

Then King Julien woke up.


	12. Chapter 12

King Julien awoke and sat straight up with a start, panting heavily to try and catch his panicked breath. He looked about and the dull lighting all around showed that he was in a small room lying on a twin bed with an identical one closer to the room's lone window. He was in one of the patient rooms in the hospital and he wasn't alone. For Maurice, Clover, Rob and Minerva were by his bedside while Mort stood on his bed, all looking to him with concern.

After being afraid of having them too close to Campion at the hospital, being reminded that Maurice's bed was too small, and being hesitant to ask anyone else for the favor, King Julien had ended up lending his own bed to Zora and his uncle and allowing them to spend the night in his hut. From there, king and advisor had gone to the hospital where they learned that Clover and Campion had been sedated for the night. For apparently, a few choice words were enough to anger both of them to the point where everyone else had feared that they would break their restraints and lunge for each other's throats. So both queen and captain were knocked out and needless to say, Clover didn't get to talk to King Julien and Maurice, who stayed at the hospital the rest of the night.

"Clover! Mort! You're awake!" Julien said, ecstatic.

"Your majesty, are you alright?" Maurice asked in concern. "You were screaming like crazy. Were you having a nightmare?"

"Yeah, a real freaky one." Julien told him, still unnerved and trying to make sense of it all.

"Forget_ that_ nightmare! How about the real one we're living in _right now?!_" Mort furiously argued. He then hopped unto Julien's chest, got right up in his face and grabbed his head, clenching his fists tightly around Julien's cheeks. "How could you do this?! How can you even suggest letting that demon stay here!? You can't him stay here! You have to take it back, tell everybody that you changed your mind and he can't stay here! He can't! He'll kill you! You hear me!? He'll kill you!" Mort shrieked in manic desperation.

"Mort, get off! You're hurting me!" Julien demeaned as he tried to pry Mort off himself but the smaller lemur held on with an iron grip.

"That monster will _kill you_ if he stays here! Please don't let him! Pleeeease!" Mort beseeched Julien, now sobbing. This took Julien aback and he stopped pulling on Mort, who let go of his cheeks and hugged his head as he continued to sob. And Julien let him, his own heart aching from seeing his friend so upset.

"Mort is right, your majesty! You can't allow your uncle and Zora to live here!" Clover argued.

"It's not up to me! It's up to the peoples!" Julien pointed out.

"It shouldn't _be_ up to the people!" Clover snapped. "They're not going to think this through! If they were going to vote your uncle and Zora out, they would have done so yesterday! But they didn't because of Campion! Because he had to ruin everything and make everyone feel bad for Zora! So now, the people are all going to listen to their bleeding hearts and let Zora and your uncle in and put your life on the line because you let a bunch of blithering idiots who can't think things through for shit govern themselves!"

Julien was shocked at first, then he was also appalled and scowled at Clover. "My people are not idiots! They are smart, they are going to think this enough and I trust them!" He snapped back, highly offended on their behalf.

"Argh! Will you listen to me?! If you go through with this, it's all going to end in disaster!" Clover argued in furious desperation.

"King Julien has faith in the people. I suggest you do the same." Was Sage's composed advice for his wife, suddenly appearing by her side.

"Wha the…!?" Clover exclaimed in startled surprise. Then she got over it and grumbled irritably, "Ugh, of course you would say that."

"We should all go forth now and heed their words. For in a short time, the sun shall rise." Sage pointed out the scheduled meeting and nearby window. Julien followed his gaze and saw the first light of dawn peeking over the horizon.

"Good grief, it's morning! The peoples! We need to go!" Julien jumped out of bed and headed towards the door with Mort still holding unto his head and the others on his heels. They followed him out the door, down the hall, out of the hospital and towards the high meeting rock with Clover and Mort continuing to beseech him. But Julien didn't heed their pleas, his mind on other matters.

Maurice and Rob had expressed to Julien their own foreboding feelings the previous night and combined with those of Clover and Mort, Julien himself was feeling pretty lousy. He hated making his friends so upset but he had to go through with his plan. He had to.

Maurice had proposed to him that maybe the aye-ayes or rats would let his uncle and Zora stay in their kingdoms. But then it was remembered that according to jungle gossip, since the fossa had been having so much trouble hunting lemurs as of late, they had switched to hunting the aye-ayes and rats more frequently. So both kingdoms were having their own problems because of the lemurs and were more dangerous and for those reasons, Julien refused to send Zora and his uncle to either kingdom. And it was also too dangerous to live with the crocodiles and the butterflies would be no help with a baby lemur. So besides The Mountain Lemur Kingdom, Julien's was the safest place and Zora and his uncle could be.

Now Julien just needed his people to feel bad enough for Zora and believe that she was really pregnant or at least give her the benefit of the doubt. Julien figured that Clover could be right about their decision but then again, she could also be wrong. The people could figure that his uncle and Zora were lying and vote them out and if that happened, then Julien would reluctantly respect their choice. But even then, he would think of another way to help Clover and Zora. Somehow, he would find a way.

As he neared the rock, Julien started to hear voices and the closer he got, the louder the voice became until he reached the surrounding clearing and saw that just about every citizen in the kingdom was already there. Then he was spotted, heads turned and the surrounding chatter dulled down to hushed whispers and when Julien started towards the rock along with his companions, lemurs parted ways to let them through. As he walked, Julien searched the faces of his people, hoping to find some clue as what they were thinking but found himself unable to read their expressions. Once the group got through the crowd, they parted ways with King Julien and Maurice heading for the rock where Uncle King Julien and Zora were waiting at it's base. The couple stood close together with Zora holding her head high with an expression of stone while the older Julien wore a scowl, red hot amber eyes directed at the crowd. Then their expressions softened every so slightly as the younger Julien, mirroring his own nervousness and uncertainly. He gave them a glance before climbing up the rock with Maurice following suit.

Once at the top, King Julien looked out among his people. The last of the murmurs died down and all waited for his words. King Julien swallowed a lump in his throat, took a shaky deep breath and spoke.

"My peoples. You all know why we're here so, let's cut to the chase, shall we? I haven't changed my mind and I still want to hear what's on your minds. So, what do you guys think? About my uncle and Zora staying here that is?" Julien anxiously asked his people, trying hard to hide the tremor in his voice.

"Well, thanks to you, a bunch of us couldn't sleep last night so we've already talked about it plenty." Was Hector's cranky comment. Then he became more hesitant as he went on to say, "And...we've already come to a decision." He stopped again, let out an annoyed sigh, crossed his arms and didn't meet King Julien's eyes as he begrudgingly grumbled, "Your uncle and Zora can stay here."

King Julien closed his eyes, let out a shaky breath, then re-opened his eyes. "I understand. It was a lot to ask of...wait, what?" He started to say, trying to remain calm and composed even as crushing disappointment and fear started to flood his mind, which took a moment to process Hector's actual words. And when it did, King Julien then stared at Hector in utter astonishment as did his uncle, Zora and most everyone else who was hearing this verdict for the first time.

"We've decided that your uncle and Zora can live here, okay?!" Hector repeated, louder and more exasperated this time. Then he quickly added, "_But_, with certain conditions."

"W-what conditions?" King Julien asked nervously and he wasn't the only one who felt that way, Zora and his uncle snapping out of their shock to give Hector their own wary looks.

"We'll let him stay if you take away your uncle's status as a royal. Take away all his power and privilege and knock him down so that he is no longer Uncle _King_ Julien or even a regular old citizen but a lowest of the lowly _servant._ Who has to follow our orders like we had to follow his. We already have the basics figured out. Your uncle can put in a day's work for one of us and when he's done with that, he can be free to be with Zora or whatever. Then he works for somebody else the next day and so on and so on, rotated among everyone in the kingdom except for you because you've already have your servants. This way, your uncle can earn his keep and be punished for everything he's done to us all without punishing Zora." Was Hector's ornery ultimatum. Then, realizing what he had just said about Zora, snapped, "So take it or leave it!"

King Julien was taken aback both by the outburst and his people's brilliant plan. So it took him a moment before he could look to them and stammer, "A-and you guys are really okay with this?"

"As much as we'll ever be, _if _you agree to our terms." Tammy answered irritably, companied by murmurs of agreement from her fellow citizens.

"I'll do it." Uncle King Julien solemnly said.

Well, this certainly shocked most everyone else present including Hector, who stammered in his stupefied state, "Wh-wait, what!? That's it?! Y-you're gonna agree to being a man servant for the entire kingdom just like that!? You ain't gonna argue, at all!?"

"No."

"B-bu...why not!?" Hector demanded to know.

"Because staying here is the best chance that Zora and the baby have." Was Uncle King Julien's blunt answer, his concerned words taking Hector and others aback.

"Jules..." Zora lay a paw on her boyfriend's shoulder and spoke to him with gentle concern, causing him to turn towards her.

"You know as well as I do that shit with Campion is just starting and with the fossa hunting in other kingdoms, this is the safest place for both of you." Uncle King Julien firmly insisted with great concern, voice softening by the end. Then he gently reassured Zora that, "I'll be fine and this way, we can all be safe and together."

After a moment, Zora sighed. "Okay." She conceded, then looked to the younger Julien. "You have a deal."

"O-okay. Okay, if there's no objections then...okay." King Julien said, failing to hide just how astonished he was by this turn of events. A thousand thoughts and emotions swirling in his mind as he then was able to compose himself enough to proclaim, "Uncle, from this day forth, you are no longer a royal but a lower then dirt servant serving everybody in the kingdom. In exchange, you and Zora may stay as official citizens."

King Julien then looked over at Maurice, who gave him a nervous look back. Julien then looked out among the crowd and saw that Rob wasn't hiding his own anxiety and neither was Mort, who was sniveling beside him. On Mort's other side, Clover was looking right back at Julien with a deep scowl etched on her face while Julien couldn't read the neutral expression on Sage's.

"Um...y-you guys can figure what you're gonna call my uncle and his work schedule by yourselves. Meeting over." Was King Julien's distracted dismissal with eyes still on his friends, once more feeling a sharp pang in his heart. He then climbed down with Maurice right behind him and then the two of them walked over to the others.

"Guys, please, I..." King Julien started to say meekly.

"Come with me to the throne room this instant. You too, Maurice." Clover told her friends curtly, making it clear that it wasn't a request.

"I wanna come too!" Mort begged her.

"No, you won't!" Clover snapped, causing Mort to wince back. "Let's go!" She then barked at King Julien and Maurice before starting down the path towards the plane. Julien and Maurice gave each other anxious glances before following her with Mort and Rob reluctantly staying behind.

So soon, Clover, King Julien and Maurice were all gathered in the royal throne. Clover paced back and forth before her friends for some moments before stopping and getting down to business.

"Do you have any idea the gravity of what you've just done?" Was her critical opening line.

"Clover, I..." King Julien started to say meekly.

"Your uncle hasn't changed. He's still the same monster he's always been and Zora is working right along with him. She's not really pregnant. She's faking it as all of their plan to weasel their way so they can kill you! So they can be king and queen and that's why you can't let them stay here!" Clover started her explanation with simmering fury but it soon erupted, spewing forth words like burning ash, mixing with manic desperation and staying that way as she went on to say, "Please, let me take them to my kingdom! Where I can deal with them myself and you'll be safe! Please, let me handle this before it's too late!"

Neither Julien nor Maurice responded right away, both taken aback by the desperation in their friend's plea and within her eyes. Eyes which kept pleading as Clover caught her breath.

Finally, Julien tentatively asked her, "H-how do you know?"

Clover gave an angry and confused, "What?"

"I mean, how do you know that's what they're planning? Did you overhear them say something suspicious or see something?" Julien cautiously reiterated, both hoping and dreading that she would say yes, ready to take her at her word.

"I...No! Not yet! It doesn't matter!" Clover snapped, appalled and offended that he would question her.

"Yes, it does matter! How can you be so sure they want to kill me if you don't have any proof?!" Julien pressed angrily and with growing conviction.

"Oh, don't tell me you're buying Campion's crap about Zora being your uncle's helpless victim!?" Clover rolled her head and eyes in growing vexation.

"No!" Julien snapped. "I'm saying what if you _and _Campion are _both_ wrong?! What if Zora and my uncle are _both_ telling the truth?! And what if Zora's right and my uncle _has_ changed!?"

Julien then stopped to catch his breath, panting heavily. As he did, he saw the wide eyed looks of shock and horror come over Clover and Maurice. This blew the blaze out of Julien's gaze, wiped the scowl off his brow and he helplessly stared back at his friends, scrambling to find the words that would make them understand.

"I...I'm just saying it's possible. You-you both have how sweet he acts with Zora." Julien tried to explain himself but his argument came out feeble, earlier confidence quickly draining.

As he spoke, a deep scowl formed on Clover's brow and her fists trembled as she snapped, "Have you gone mad!?", causing Julien to wince back. "Your uncle acting 'sweet' is an act! A lie! That's what he does, he lies! He and Zora are lying and you've fallen for it cause you're listening to your bleeding heart instead of your brain and if you keep doing that, you're going to get yourself killed!"

Julien had been wilting under Clover's sharp words but when she got to the part about his heart, he straightened, glared back at her and furiously argued that, "Fine, yes, I am listening to my heart and do you wanna know what it's telling me!? That maybe Zora and my uncle are _not_ lying! That maybe all they really want _is_ a safe place to have their baby! And maybe Zora's right about not judging my uncle only by his past!"

"Only? Only!?" Clover incredulously snapped. "How can you…we're still talking about Uncle King Julien, right? The same Uncle King Julien who gladly tortured and killed countless animals for years?! Whose tried to kill you more times then I can count?! Whose proven time and again to be a sociopath devoid of any compassion or remorse and you're telling me you honestly believe he's changed!?"

"Y-you don't know for sure that he hasn't..." Julien stuttered, his confidence weaning.

"And you don't know for sure that he won't have Zora snap your neck!" Clover fired back.

"Fine, yes, you're right, I don't know! I don't know what they're gonna do but what am _I _supposed to do!? I can't just throw them out with no proof of them doing anything wrong and nowhere to go!" Was Julien's anguished argument.

"They can go to my kingdom!" Clover argued back.

"But what they can't!? What if your peoples still don't agree to that!? What if more of them fight you like Campion!? What if Campion...!?"

"I'll handle Campion! I'll handle him so good, he'll never defy me again! Everyone else will back off!" Clover argued with furious conviction, having already thought of several methods in which to make a lasting example out of her rebellious subject.

"But what they don't back off!?"

"They will!"

"But what if they don't!?"

"They will!"

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced through the air, causing Julien and Clover to stop and turn towards the source. Which was Maurice, who pulled his fingers out of his mouth to speak.

"Can I say something?!" He demanded, then let out a tired sigh and said with more composed frustration, "Look, like it or not, Uncle King Julien and Zora are here. I say, let them stay here for a few days!" He said the last few words quickly as Clover opened her mouth to argue. Then he slowed back down. "Just for a few days Clover, while you're here at the same time. You can keep an eye on them while you recover and it'll also give you time to figure out what you're going to say to your people. Then you can go back and if they concede to it, then Uncle King Julien and Zora can move in with you. But if they don't, then..." He became apprehensive and blurted out in a quick burst, "Then I think they should stay here!"

"What!?" Clover snarled as she glared down at Maurice, who cowered under her feral jungle eyes.

"N-now Clover, l-let me explain..." Maurice stuttered while holding up his paws defensively.

"Don't you dare tell _you_ believe this love redeems crap!?"

"I don't! Not with Uncle King Julien! But if he can't stay in your kingdom, it would be better for him to stay here where we can keep an eye on him! Where Dr. S can!" Maurice furiously argued with growing conviction.

"Dr. S isn't ready for that kind of work!" Clover snapped.

"He has to! Because Campion! Is! Pissed!" Maurice snapped back. "I know some of your people will be agreeable like Minerva but there will also has to be others who'll wanna fight back like Campion and if they outnumber the agreeable ones and are pushed too far, then you and Sage could wind up in a whole heap of trouble! And don't you say that they'll back off if you stop Campion cause if they are anywhere near of angry as he is, they won't and you know it!"

As Maurice huffed and puffed to catch his breath, Clover opened her mouth to argue but then closed it and looked away, begrudgingly mulling over her friend's warning.

Maurice's expression softened and so did his tone, gently imploring Clover that, "Yes, it would be ideal for Uncle King Julien and Zora to live in your kingdom and you should keep trying to make that happen but we still need another plan in case that one doesn't work out. We do have a plan and it's better then Uncle King Julien and Zora being left with nowhere to go and no supervision. At least here, the people can watch him while he works and Dr. S can watch Zora at the same time and then both of them and we'll help him! We'll help any way we can, right King Julien?" He turned towards King Julien, looking expectantly at him.

"Of course we will!" Was Julien's earnest answer.

Clover looked back and forth between her friends, between their pleading eyes. Then she let out defeated sigh. "...Fine." She begrudgingly conceded.

Julien and Maurice let out sighs of relief.

"We need to tell Dr. S." Clover told them.

He had remained at the hospital along with Campion, so the three friends headed that way. When they arrived, they found Mort, Rob, Minerva and Sage gathered around the waiting room, having already informed Dr. S and Campion on how the meeting went. There Clover informed her friends that she wished to speak with Dr. S just the two of them and while there was some reluctance, her friends yielded to her wish. Clover also wished to speak somewhere extra private, so that's how she and Dr. S ended up in the operating room. It was standard with it's operating table, various medical machines and all that. What the room lacked was windows, so passerby outside wouldn't be able to easily ease drop on their conversation. Once the door was shut and Clover had surveyed the room to ensure they were alone, she faced Dr. S and opened with,

"So, you've already heard about the people's decision, then?"

"Yeah and here I was, so sure they were gonna say no. Imagine my shock. Crazy!" Was Dr. S astonished response.

"Utterly insane." Clover grumbled darkly. Then she spoke up, firm and serious. "And that's where you come in. Until I can sort things out in my kingdom, I need you to keep tabs on Uncle King Julien and Zora. While he's busying with chores, keep your eyes glued on her. I mean it, every move she makes, every breath she takes, you watch her and do the same thing with Uncle King Julien when they're together. Keep your eyes peeled for any slip ups, any signs of their true natures which King Julien is too blinded by his bleeding heart to see for himself!" She furiously screamed the last few words.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'true natures' and 'blinded by his bleeding heart'?" Dr. S asked, confused and a little unnerved.

"I mean that Uncle King Julien and Zora are lying!" Clover snapped in response, the sheer volume and forcefulness startling Dr. S, who leaned his upper body back and stared at Clover in wide eyed shock as she went on to rant, "Zora's not really pregnant! I know it! Every despicable thing that Uncle King Julien has ever done is all the proof I need to know it! To know that it's all part of their ruse in order to weasel their way in! Make lemurs drop their guards and feel bad for Zora, so they'll let her and Uncle King Julien into the kingdom and close to King Julien so that when the time is right, Bam! Julien's dead! And it'll be that much earlier to kill him because he's fallen for their lies hook, line and sinker! King Julien doesn't just feel bad for Zora, oh no! He actually believes all this love redeems bullshit she's sprouting about his uncle! That he's sweet and loving and a changed lemur and that's why Julien won't be watching his back around him or Zora and that's why we have to do it for him before he gets himself killed!"

"…Oh." Simple and stunned, it was the only response that Dr. S could think of at that moment as he tried to process it all.

Meanwhile, Clover had stopped to catch her breath and as she did, Dr. S could have sworn that the shadows over Clover's face, case by the surrounding candlelight, darkened. When she spoke next, her voice was dangerously low as she carefully pronounced her cold, calculated and deadly serious command. "That's why, if he stays here long enough and you're the one to expose him for the monster he is, you have to kill Uncle King Julien."

"Oh…." Dr. S repeated in a stunned fashion as the gravity of all hit like a tidal wave. "...I guessing the last part wasn't King Julien's idea?" He asked while already knowing the answer, proven right when Clover responded with,

"No. It's not. We didn't discuss punishment for when the old bastard is caught at all. King Julien knows that you'll be keeping tabs on his uncle and I know, I just know that his idea of punishment is just to lock that monster away and I'm telling you now, that will never work! Uncle King Julien will find a way out no matter what and then go right back to plotting King Julien's demise! That's why you have to kill him! It is the only way to ensure that he never hurts King Julien or anyone ever again! Promise that you'll do what you have to do to stop that monster! Promise me that you will protect King Julien no matter what! Promise me!" She spoke with the same deadly seriousness but no longer cold and composed with desperation now in the mix and ringing ever louder, booming by the end.

Dr. S didn't respond right away but continued to stare at Clover, so taken aback he was by the anger, fear and desperation radiating off her as she looked ready to fight him into submission if he dared defy her. But he wasn't afraid. He knew what he had to do.

"Okay, I'll do it." Dr. S solemnly said.

Clover let a shaky breath, body shuddering and relaxing as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you." She said, soft and sincere, words coming out breathlessly as she was overcome with relief and gratitude among a thousand other emotions.

"Y-you're welcome." Dr. S said, stunned to be receiving this genuine expression of gratitude, still getting used to receiving them from anyone other then Nurse Phantom. Then he thought of something and asked, genuinely curious, "Wait, what about Zora? What am I supposed to do when I expose her?"

"Don't hurt her!" Clover shouted quick as lighting, words booming like thunder as panic flashed across her face. Dr. S was slightly startled by this force of this command but it was enough for Clover to notice, to become conscious of her own reaction. Panic coursed through her veins and she quickly tried to save face. Keyword try.

"Just, don't. Don't hurt Zora. Apprehend and lock her up without hurting her. Got it?!" Clover tried to tell Dr. S calm and composed like but failed miserably, her words coming out tight and tense, snapping the last couple. In those moments, her eyes reminded Dr. S of the jungle, feral and ready to tear him apart if he dare try and defy her, dared to even think about harming the possibly expectant mother.

"I...I mean...of course she's not really pregnant but Julien and Sage, they believe it wholeheartedly and Maurice, who don't know, I feel like he at least is considering it to be true, I don't know. But I do know that if they found out that I ordered you to hurt her...they'd never forgive me..." Was Clover's explanation, anxiety somewhat composed while still evident, trailing off as she became lost in pensive thought.

Dr. S knew that wasn't the real reason. Or at the very least, not the most important one. But he also knew that it was wiser not to press Clover on the matter then and there. So he didn't.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt Zora. I'll catch her and lock her up without a scratch, I promise." Dr. S solemnly swore, gentle and reassuring.

Clover didn't respond right away but silently searched his face through critical eyes as she mulled over his words.

"...You swear?" She asked firmly and with no room for nonsense.

"Yes." Was Dr. S's earnest and firm answer.

"...Good. Hopefully it won't come to that. Sage and I and the others, we're heading back to our kingdom today, get things settled there as soon as possible." Clover told him in a point blank manner before heading towards the door.

"Oh, okay…Wait, what!?" It took Dr. S a moment to fully process Clover's statement before exclaiming in shock, then he rushed to try and get between her and the door. Unfortunately, Clover had enough of a head start that she had already gone through said door and had just closed it behind her, so Dr. S ended slamming into it head on. Momentarily paralyzed by stabbing pain, Dr. S clenched his teeth tightly and briefly touched his tail to his now throbbing forehead before pulling it away and heading out the door. When he got out into the hall, the double doors leading into the waiting room were swinging back and forth, so he headed that way.

"Clover, I don't think that's such a good idea." Dr. S anxiously told her as he slithered into the waiting room.

"What's not a good idea?" Maurice warily asked Clover, the others looking expectantly at her as well.

"Sage, Campion, Minerva and I all have to go back to our kingdom today, okay?!" Was Clover's snippity response.

"What!?" Everyone except for Clover and Dr. S exclaimed in shock and concern.

"But-but you're hurt! I mean, come on, look at yourself!" King Julien anxiously pointed out, spreading out his arms towards Clover and the bandages wrapped around various parts of her body. Around the stapled shut wound on her forehead, the multiple bite and scratch marks craved into her arms and the wrappings around her chest splinting her several broken ribs.

"Yeah, even I think you shouldn't travel for at least a day or two. Give yourself more time to rest and heal." Dr. S cautioned with his own concern.

"I'll rest when we get home!" Clover furiously argued. "Our people are expecting us to come back today and the longer that Sage and I are away, the longer they have to stew over how pissed off they are! And speaking of pissed off, it's far too dangerous for Campion to be here! You all won't let me guard him and I believe you've have figured out that Sage and Minerva both make for terrible guards! So that only leaves Dr. S, who already has more than enough responsibilities as is!" She then turned to Dr. S. "And the last thing that any of us needs is for you to be stretched out too thin and someone taking advance of that! That's why the sooner that Campion is back in our kingdom, the better!" She then turned to Sage and Minerva. "The sooner we're back, the better!"

This gave most everyone cause for pensive pause, having to admit that Clover had a good point. Campion was angry and Dr. S did have a lot on his plate and that could be a dangerous combination, especially with Uncle King Julien, Zora and Clover in the mix.

Everyone thought about this except for Sage, who after a moment piped in with, "Campion is caught in the tuna net of his own ego. Be careful, Clover, not to allow yours to get tangled with his. For..."

"We'll go!" Minerva curtly conceded while glaring at Sage. For she was in no mood for one of his stupid spiels, especially not one criticizing Clover by comparing her to the brute who attacked her the day prior.

And that wasn't the only reason. For truth be truth, Minerva was still skeptical that Dr. S could go from being a knife happy, mad scientist/doctor to a security guard who actually cared about those he had previously tortured without giving a shit. And she was afraid of what Campion might do under such lackluster security. That was a more pressing matter to Minerva then her anxiety over how her fellow mountain lemurs might react once they got back.

Momentarily pushing aside their own anger at Sage, Dr. S, Rob and Clover's friends reluctantly conceded as well. Sage said no more but just stared at Clover with that disappointed look on his face that she knew all too well.

Whatever, she didn't need his approval. The big baby would just have to get over it, Clover thought to herself with bitter contempt.

Before departing, Julien wished to speak with Clover in private. She agreed and was soon back in the operating room along with her friend, who got right to the point.

"Clover...you shouldn't use scare tactics on your peoples!" Julien hesitated at first but then blurted out his disapproval of Clover's plan to punish Campion in order to scare her other subjects into obeying her.

"What?" Clover snarled.

"You need to talk, really talk and listen to them!" Julien proposed with great conviction. "Let them say what they need to say and talk things through so you all can reach a compromise! You can suggest using the same punishment for my uncle that my peoples came up with! It's a really great plan, your peoples might like it and...!"

"Shut up! Just shut up and back off! I will handle _my_ subjects _my _way, got it?!" Clover snapped, greatly offended. This stunned Julien for a moment before he furrowed his brow in determination.

"I just literally talked things out with my peoples…!" Julien snapped back.

"I said shut up!" Clover snarled.

"And that worked out fantastic! Maybe it would work with yours too!"

"No. It. Won't!"

"How do you know that if you don't try!?" Julien demanded to know.

"Because they hate me!" Clover proclaimed in furious dismay.

Well, this certainly gave Julien pause, staring at Clover in stunned silence as she continued to speak.

"They hate me because of the contract." Clover reluctantly woefully admitted. "They think that because I'm not trying to get out of it, then I must not care about possibly leaving them! That I care more about you and everyone here then I do about them! So now they hate me and this whole..._shit show_ with Zora and your uncle has them hating me even more!" Then she took a shaky deep breath and lowered her volume, saying with both sadness and anger, "Don't you see? That's why just talking to them will never work. They'll never listen to me. So I have to make them listen."

"But then they'll hate you even more." Julien sadly pointed out, pleading with her.

Clover stiffened and she turned away without a response.

"I'm sorry." Julien told her, low and rueful.

Clover turned back to him and gave a confused, "What?"

"It's my fault that you're in this mess. I'm the one who forced you into the contract! I'm the one who tried to dump my uncle and Zora on you! It's my fault your peoples are angry! It's my fault that Campion attacked you!" Was Julien's passionate and repentant argument.

"Hey! I would be doing _everything_ possible to get your uncle and Zora away from you whether you wanted me to take them or not and as for the contract...it's my own fault it exists." Clover's counter argument started off boiling but soon simmered, her words keeping their anger and conviction with shame and regret poured into the mix as they once more gripped her heart. "My carelessness, it created that contract. I drove Pancho, everyone to hate you."

"I drove my peoples to hate me! I dismissed their feelings like they didn't matter! I refused to listen to anybody! I put everybody in danger trying to make them feel wrong for being skeptical of a crazy snake doctor! I made my own peoples feel abandoned and unloved." Julien insisted, ruefully recounting his loathsome actions. But then, he remembered something else and cautious optimism started to find it's way into his words. "But then, I stopped dismissing and started listening. I let my peoples know that their feelings did matter to me. I let them feel heard and now, they're not so angry anymore. I mean, yes, things aren't perfect. Some lemurs still hate me for everything and some don't hate me anymore but haven't fully forgiven me either but things are getting better..."

"Where are you going with this, your majesty?" Clover impatiently interrupted.

"Where I'm going is that maybe, maybe all your peoples really want is to feel heard. Maybe they just wanna know that even if you don't agree with them, that you still respect their feelings. Maybe if you just listen to them, they'll listen to you." Julien proposed, irritably at first but his tone soon softened, gently speaking with cautious hope.

Clover curled her lip in contempt. "You don't know that." Was her cynical critical comment. This snapped Julien's patience like a twig.

"Fine, yes, you're right, I don't know! But what I do know is that from what I've seen, that talking and listening has been a whole lot better then getting mad and demanding my way or nothing!" Was his vexed answer.

Clover turned away, crossing her arms and deepening her scowl.

Julien growled while his fists trembled. "Fine! Be a stubborn jerk! I'm sure that will work great!" He sarcastically snapped before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

…

When told that his group would be departing that day, Campion neither commented nor protested, allowing himself to be lead outside and unto Sage's hawk without issue. Then the gag in his mouth was readjusted while the binds on his arms and legs were reinforced with one end securely tied around one of the hawk's legs. Sage then got on his hawk as well and held Campion from behind where they would stay that way for the journey home. While all this was happening, Campion kept his head high and his expression unreadable as he staring off towards a place that no one else could see.

After getting checked over by Dr. S and Rob one last time, Clover came out in front of the hospital where her friends were waiting. She knelt down to one knee, picked up Mort and hugged him to her chest and he hugged her in return.

"Please be careful. Especially with...you know who." Mort gently pleaded before a dark edge crept it's way in by the end as he glared over at Campion, who didn't give him so much as a brief glance.

"Yeah, please watch you back." Was Maurice's worried warning before he too glared daggers aimed at Campion's throat.

"I will. You can count on that." Clover solemnly swore to her friends, she too briefly scowling in Campion's direction before turning back to Mort and Maurice.

Maurice then gave Clover his own tender embrace, trying not to squeeze too hard on her sensitive ribs. Clover gladly hugged him back with one arm while still holding Mort up to her heart with the other.

"Promise me that you'll both watch King Julien's back. And you yourselves be careful around Uncle King Julien and Zora, you hear?" Clover whispered in her friend's ear's, tenderly imploring them.

"Of course we will." Maurice told her with tender conviction.

'Yeah. We promise." Mort earnestly added.

"Thank you." Clover said, soft and sincere.

After a hug that felt not nearly long enough, the friends pulled apart. After putting Mort back on the ground and standing back up, Clover then turned to King Julien. Who was standing off to the side where he had enviously watched the hug which he had been too afraid to join, feeling that he wouldn't have been welcomed. The two friends faced each other at a stand still for a moment or two, each gazing with longing concern while anger held them back.

"What they said. About watching your back and being careful, I mean. You better do that." Julien ordered, trying to sound nonchalant but failing, his concern shining through bright and clear for Clover.

"And you better do the same, your majesty." Clover commanded while trying to keep her own composer but Julien could still hear her fear loud and clear.

"I will." Julien solemnly said.

"I mean it. Don't turn your back on your uncle or Zora, no matter how nice they seem." Clover warned, pleaded, firm and frightened.

"I-I won't, I promise." Julien tenderly swore to her, shaken by just how vulnerable she sounded.

Clover returned Julien's gentle gaze with her own determined one and gave him a firm, "Good."

Clover then hesitated for a moment before suddenly closing the gap between her and Julien, wrapping her arms around him and giving a tight squeeze. Taken aback at first, Julien returned the hug, giving his own gentler squeeze so as not to farther hurt Clover's ribs.

Then all too soon, they pulled apart. "Well, I guess I better get going then." Clover said to Julien and the others, sounding unsure. Then she added with more revolve, "I'll write as soon as I can, let you know what my people say."

"Please do and we'll update you on stuff here too." Julien awkwardly told her, still angry at the thought of Clover scaring her people into doing what she wanted and scared of her people's reactions to such a tactic.

"You better. If there's any trouble, let me know. I will come back." Clover promised with great conviction.

Then she became hesitate again but turned around and got on Minerva's hawk in front of Minerva. Once securely seated, Clover gave one last glance at her friends and allies before the hawk leapt up and into the sky. Sage's hawk took off as well with his passengers while the remaining two hawks in the group followed suit. And everyone who remained on the ground watched their retreating forms grow ever smaller until they disappeared into the morning sky.


	13. Chapter 13

Clover, Sage, Campion and Minerva all made it back to The Mountain Lemur Kingdom without incident and right away, were bombarded with a frenzy of questions from concerned citizens who quickly surrounded them.

"Why is Captain Campion tied up?"

"You two look horrible! What happened?!"

"Where's Uncle King Julien and Zora?"

"Did you guys even make to King Julien's kingdom?"

"Or did something happen on the way back?"

That last question was voiced by Benson in a more subdued manner, stunned by uneasiness as the wounds on both queen and captain along with the absence of Zora was painting a terrible picture in his mind. Then, it suddenly struck like lighting and he was on the verge of panic as he implored his returning comrades to tell him if,

"Did something bad happen to Zora!?"

Somehow, this question was heard above the surrounding commotion and Clover, Campion and Minerva were all taken aback by it's emotion.

"What!? N-no! No! Zora's fine! She's safe, I swear! And...and still in King Julien's kingdom along with Uncle King Julien..." Campion frantically reassured Benson, then slowed down and trailed off, growling his last few words.

This brought another wave of questions from the crowd while at the same time, Minerva went from staring at Campion with surprise to following his gaze and seeing Benson close his eyes while breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Oy! All your questions will be answered in an all kingdom meeting to be held immediately!" Clover sternly proclaimed.

And so it was that most every citizen in the kingdom was soon gathered around the great stone temple that held the royal throne room, standing at the base of it's steps while Clover, Sage, Campion and Minerva stood high up at the top. Campion remained tied up tight and having gone back to being as unresponsive as the rock beneath his feet while his thoughts seethed within his mind like magma beneath a volcano's surface. Minerva stood next to him on high alert, her expression nervous as she kept looking all about, her anxiety transparent to all. The royal couple stood next to each other with Sage looking out among his people with a pensive expression while Clover wore a stern one, keeping her compose even as her thoughts thrashed about within her mind as if caught in a storm.

"Easy, Clover, easy. Once you've explained everything and have made an example of Campion, everyone else will know their place. Then, you can get the old bastard away from Julien once and for all." Clover reassured herself with these dark thoughts. Then King Julien's words came back to mind, begging her to give civil conversation with her subjects a chance. There had been a brief moment in which she had considered that maybe he was right, that maybe talking things out would be better for everyone. But then she had quickly remembered why she had dismissed that advice in the first place.

Her people had come to despise her all because she was willing to take responsibility for her mistakes. She told King Julien as much! What she hadn't told him (hadn't thought to at the time) was that she had tried to talk to her subjects about the contract in a civil manner at first. She really tried. But all had dismissed her reasons for agreeing with it, dismissed the safety of Clover's friends and all of her other former fellow citizens, dismissed all the suffering that they had endured because of her and Sage.

Including Sage. Who had continued to do so in stupid Sage fashion, no matter how much Clover kept imploring him to can it on the inspirational poster quotes for five fucking minutes and just listen to her for once, Frank dammit!

Well, there was at least one thing that husband and wife agreed on and that was that both Zora and Uncle King Julien must live in their kingdom. And their word was law and everyone else would have to get over it!

Clover put two fingers in her mouth and gave a sharp whistle, which pierced through the clamor of the crowd, quieting it down to murmurs. Then she took her fingers out and barked, "Oy! Settle down so we can started!"

The last of the murmurs quickly died down and the crowd looked up to their king and queen with bated breath as a thousand questions buzzed about their minds.

"Alright, so I know you lot have a lot of questions. First off, we did make it to King Julien's kingdom without incident. We talked to King Julien and everything was going off without a hitch until...until Campion had to go and open his big fat mouth!" Clover started off in a composed manner before snapping and glaring over at Campion, who readily mirrored her expression back at her.

This got a few murmurs from the crowd, their interest farther piqued.

"Yes, he spewed forth callous words filled with hate and fear venom resulting in tears and violence!" Was Sage's scathing addition, his own words filled with venom as he too glared over at Campion.

"Those 'callous words' are the truth and you know it!" Campion raged at Sage, pulling hard against Minerva as she desperately held him back.

"They're a load of bull and you know it!" Clover snapped before Sage could.

"Your plan is a load of bull and you know it!" Campion snapped back. "I know it, Benson knows it, we all know it! We all know that taking in Zora and Uncle King Julien is just another way for you to appease King Julien and his sniveling subjects, the rest of us be damned!"

"Don't you _dare _start with that again!"

"Your duty is to your people! Not to a bunch of ungrateful brats using your own feelings against you!"

"What do you mean?" Clover asked with a dangerously low snarl.

"What I mean is that while King Julien may be a soft hearted fool, his people on the other hand know exactly what they're doing. They knew that you would gladly take Zora and Uncle King Julien, they were counting on it. And agreeing to letting both of them stay in their kingdom instead? They're counting on that only being temporary, just until you can get your way and their unwanted guests out of their fur. That way, Julien's people get to look like the good guys while getting exactly what they want! They're using you, using your own guilt against you and they'll keep using you as long as you let them!" Campion argued with scathing conviction, his words stabbing through Clover's heart like a spear.

"Th-that's not true! That's not true!" Clover shrieked, her eyes going from being like two wide open fields before narrowing into a scorching scowl, lunging for Campion but held back by Sage.

"Yes it is! King Julien's people are using your own feelings against you just like Uncle King Julien is using Zora's!" Was Campion's sharp retort. This got confused and concerned murmurs from the crowd and Campion looked out among his fellow lemurs, proclaiming with scathing conviction, "Uncle King Julien has manipulated Zora into believing that he loves her, that her love has made him a changed lemur but it's all an act! To use her and their child to weasel his way into his nephew's kingdom so that he can get close enough to kill his nephew and take his throne for himself!"

An avalanche of shocked and appalled cries tumbled forth from the crowd, swiftly blending together into one deafening roar. While horror and dismay rooted Benson to the spot, stunning him into a daze to where he could only continue to stare at Campion and softly say, "Oh no...no..."

Both Clover and Sage had their own responses for Campion but someone else got the captain's attention first.

"Still sounding so damn sure of yourself without any proof." Minerva bitterly grumbled to herself but Campion still heard her, though he didn't quite catch her exact words due to the surrounding clamor of the crowd. He turned to her and curtly asked,

"What did you say? Speak up!"

This startled Minerva, who anxiously stared back at him. She didn't mean for him to hear that!

"Well?" He asked impatiently, his harsh demeanor making Minerva more and more anxious.

She could have denied that she had said anything in hopes that he would leave her alone. She could of done that, she thought about doing it but didn't.

"I said, how can you be so sure that Uncle King Julien is manipulating Zora when you have absolutely no proof to back any of what you're saying up!?" Minerva said with simmering fury at first which then erupted, her words spewing forth like scalding hot ash spraying across Campion's face, causing him to take a step back and stare at her with wide eyed shock.

This also stopped Clover and Sage in their tracks, both having been watching and ready to come to Minerva's aid, now giving her their own incredulous stares.

Then, slowly and surely, Campion snapped out of his stupefied state, narrowing his eye into a scowl and baring his teeth into a snarl. And as he did, the blaze was blown from Minerva's gaze, the scowl wiped from her brow as fury turned into fright as Campion's increasingly fierce glare bore down and gripped her heart with it's razor sharp claws.

"What?!" Campion furiously shrieked so loud that it cut through the clamor of the crowd enough to reach the ears of lemurs closest to the stairs. Lips shut and heads turned in their direction and upon seeing what had gotten their attentions, their neighbors did the same until it was only Campion speaking as he went on to say,

"What do you mean I don't have any proof!?"

"Wait, what's going on? What did she say!? What did you say!?" Benson asked with great confusion, first to Campion, then to Minerva.

"She's saying that I've got no proof of Uncle King Julien manipulating Zora is if all the times that he's manipulated someone else isn't all the proof in the world!" Campion furiously snapped.

This ignited a new spark of courage in Minerva but before she could speak, Clover gave Campion her own critical retort,

"And how do you know he's the only manipulative one?"

"What do you mean?" Campion asked with a dangerously low snarl while Minerva had a bad feeling about where this was going as well, praying to be wrong but unfortunately was proven right as Clover went to say with contempt,

"What I mean is that maybe Zora knows _exactly_ what kind of lemur Uncle King Julien really is and likes what she sees because she _isn't_ as innocent as you think! That maybe she's not pregnant at all but is lying right along with him so they can _both_ kill King Julien and rule his kingdom together as king and queen!"

The crowd erupted and Benson was shocked into a stunned state once more, this time trembling as he said with boiling fury, only able to come out low and raspy like, "You...you..."

While Sage stared at Clover with great dismay, slowly shaking his head, hoping against hope that he had heard his wife wrong. To which Clover snapped at him in a desperate and manic manner,

"Sage, don't...don't look at me like that! Listen to me! Zora must have known what a monster Uncle King Julien is before they even met and yet…!"

"You bitch...You bitch!" Campion started off stunned and breathless before his fury then erupted. His arms were tied up but his legs weren't and they propelled him towards Clover while he belted out a rage filled battle cry. A cry that kept going as Minerva desperately grabbed and held Campion back with all her might while he pulled against her hold with all of his. Lips shut and heads turned to see their struggle, including Clover and Sage. Clover's eyes met Campion's and he furiously screamed in outrage,

"How dare you?!"

"Open your eyes, Campion! Zora must have known about Uncle King Julien before they met! Must have heard about all the pain and suffering he caused, from his own former subjects for Frank's sake! And yet when the time came to meet him, she didn't give a fucking fuck about any of that! Oh no, she was more than happy to run away with him and still wants to him now and you wanna know why!? Because she likes that he's a power hungry bastard cause she's a power hungry bitch who wants to be a queen and he can help her make that happen!" Clover continued her scathing accusation.

Before Campion could give his scathing retort, Benson beat him to it with his own, passionately arguing,

"Shut up! Shut up, that's not true! Zora's not power hungry and you have no right to call her that! You don't even know her!"

This took Campion, Clover and Minerva all aback for a moment. Then Clover got over her shock to furiously snap,

"I know that anyone who aligns themselves with monsters is nothing less then a monster themselves!" Clover then faced the crowd, furiously arguing with great conviction that, "That's why both Zora and Uncle King Julien have to live here! So we can watch them like hawks, so we can catch them red handed in their lies, so they can be swiftly and severely punished so that they don't kill King Julien!"

"But how do you know that they want to kill King Julien!? Do you have any proof or are you just making assumptions too!?" Minerva demanded to know. She said this before Campion, Benson or Sage could give their own critical comments, all taken aback by hers.

For a brief moment, Clover was stunned into silence as well and stared wide eyed at Minerva. Then, she furrowed her brow and said with a snarl, "How dare you…?!" Then she turned up the volume, screaming in outrage, "You know that Zora ran off with Uncle King Julien despite most certainly knowing...no wait! She did know! Even if she hadn't before, she certainly it after he revealed his last evil scheme! She was right there! She heard everything and she didn't care!" Clover remembered that day well. How Uncle King Julien had confessed to his latest plot to take over King Julien's kingdom while still lying up his ass, saying that he no long cared for power because he had found 'true love'! How her stomach had turned watching him and Zora being all lovey dovey and when he told King Julien that he was glad that he wasn't able to kill him in that sickening fake happy tone, as all the suffering that he had put King Julien was nothing more then a minor inconvenience! And how Zora had heard it all and didn't care about anything besides her precious Jules!

"Yes, she did and maybe you're right! Maybe Zora doesn't feel any compassion for anyone that Uncle King Julien's hurt! Suppose that is true! That still doesn't prove that she wants to kill King Julien!" Minerva looked back and forth between Clover and Campion, continuing her critical and passionate argument. "For all any of us know, _both _of them could be telling the truth! But both of _you_ are just throwing around these accusations without any real evidence and I for one am not buying it!"

"Me neither!" Benson agreed, he too looking back and forth between Clover and Campion. "You have nothing on Zora being evil and if you have nothing on Uncle King Julien, then I'm not gonna listen to you either!"

"Will you shut it?!" A male lemur among the crowd snapped at Benson, critically commenting that, "Zora served Koto! She knows what bastards like him and Uncle King Julien are capable of and yet, she still chooses to be with him! Clover's right! We can't trust her!"

"Uncle King Julien's tricking her! She needs our help!" A female lemur among the crowd snapped at the male lemur.

"She doesn't need help! She knows exactly what's she's doing!" The male lemur snapped back.

"No she doesn't!"

"Yes she does!"

Soon, other lemurs began arguing among themselves, their scathing words soon stuffing the surrounding air until a sharp whistle sliced through and split them apart. Lips shut and heads turned towards the source, which was Sage and when he saw that he had everyone's attention is when he made his passionate plea. "People, please! Can't you see?! You have allowed yourselves to put on glasses which only allow you to see things through fear and hatred! I beseech you all to take them off so that you may see the true beauty that is the love Uncle King Julien and Zora share! That you may know that their only true desires are for a safe place to bring their child into this world and raise them together as a family in peace!"

One of Clover's eyes twitched before she snapped, "Do you hear yourself when you talk!? No, seriously, do you hear the shit coming out of your mouth?! There is no baby and Uncle King Julien doesn't love anyone besides himself!"

"Once upon a time, that was the case but now it is not. For he has finally allowed love into his heart and now it shines through for Zora and the child of which they have created together." Sage argued in a tranquil manner. Which made Clover even madder.

"Will you listen to me?! There. Is. No. Baby! They're lying! That's what Uncle King Julien does, he lies! To get what he wants and this is exactly what he and Zora want! Lemurs like you and King Julien thinking with your bleeding hearts instead of your brains!" She furiously fired back.

"Wait, I'm confused. I get Sage being soft hearted but King Julien?" Benson raised his hand and asked, confused and several others voiced their confusion as well.

"King Julien believes that...that Zora is pregnant and he feels so bad for her that he's allowing her and his uncle to live in his kingdom...as official citizens." Clover tentatively told them, purposely leaving out the part where her friend also believed that his uncle was a changed lemur. The less animals that knew about that, the less chance that word would reach Uncle King Julien and Zora, who would no doubt use that weakness to their advantage.

Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd and a bewildered Benson said to Clover, "Wait, what? Okay, I know King Julien's people can't be happy about that!"

"You're right, they're not but they've still agreed to it because they pity Zora too! They and King Julien all do because Campion was that much of a jackass to her!" Clover said with grave seriousness at first but her anger bleed through the more that she went until she was furiously screaming by the last word, whipping around to glare at Campion once more.

"What?" Benson said incredulously, looking expectantly towards Campion as did everyone else.

"I...I wasn't..." Campion said anxiously, unnerved by all the scrutinizing gazes boring down on him, especially Benson's. Then, he looked over towards Minerva, Clover and Sage and saw their critical glares. At this, he scowled in return and looked back to the crowd to defensively say, "I told her what she needs to hear! That she needs to get away from that monster for her sake and her baby's but she wouldn't listen to me!"

"You're the one who wouldn't listen to her!" Clover fired back before Minerva or Sage could, to everyone's shock. And they continued to be as Clover went on with her passionate scathing argument. "When she was trying to make her case that Uncle King Julien has changed and really loves her, in a civil manner mind you, you mocked her! And no matter how much she begged that you just listen to her, you instead dismissed everything she had to say like she was a stupid child! And when you tried to make her choose between us and him and she choose him, you told her that she was choosing him over her own baby!"

"But-but you don't even believe that she's pregnant!" Campion stammered, flabbergasted.

"But you do and you basically told her that she was being a bad mother because she wouldn't give in to the demands of an asshole treating her like garbage!" Was Clover's scathing retort. To which Campion got over his shock to respond with his own.

"Says the woman whose been treating her as nothing more than a black hearted criminal! Don't you _dare_ pretend that you care about her now!"

"I don't give a rat's ass about her!" Clover furiously screamed. Then, she composed herself enough to say with a snarl, "But you do! At least, you _say _so!"

After a moment's shock, a thought struck Campion and he glared daggers at Clover once more as he argued with furious conviction, "You bitch! I've figured you out! You're only defending Zora to make _me _look like the bad guy! When all I've done is fight for justice! For her! Her baby! All of us!"

"Justice!?" Minerva screamed beside Campion, who winced from the volume and proximity of her scorn. "You think making Zora cry is justice?! Or beating on Clover when she told you to stop?!"

The crowd was abuzz once more and someone said, "So that's why Campion and Clover are all beat up!"

"Yes. After making Zora cry, Clover told Campion that he had gone too far and to stand down. When he resisted, she punched him. Then, he tackled her and they fought until they were finally broken up!" Minerva said irritably, inwardly shuddering at the memory.

"You're making it sound like she punched me on Zora's behalf, when she didn't do it until _after_ I had called her more for trying to earn brownie points with King Julien and his ungrateful brats!" Campion pointed out with simmering fury at first before it erupted.

"They shouldn't have to house the monster whose tortured them! And King Julien doesn't deserve to die because of your patronizing hero crap!" Clover furiously fired back.

"Someday, King Julien's body will return back to the earth and feed the seeds of tomorrow's grass, as we all will. But he will not be buried by his uncle or Zora's paws." Sage said, calm and composed.

"Oh, not this again!" Clover said and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Yes, again! For you are so blinded by your fear and anger that you cannot see the truth!" Sage argued with an edge to his words.

"You're the one whose blinded! By your bloody bleeding heart!" Clover snapped, critically arguing that, "It's time to grow up and face the facts, Sage! This whole 'love redeems' is a load of bull! That's not how real life works!"

To which Sage said bluntly, "...It did with Crimson."

"Cr-Crimson…?" Clover stammered, shocked by the mention of her sister. As she struggled to find the words, Sage went on to explain earnestly,

"I remember you speaking of the time that Uncle King Julien set up a death match to pit you against the wildebeest who killed your grandmother. That you fell into a deep coma at the sight of him but with the help of your friends, Grandma Rose's mixtape and a pep talk from Grandma Rose herself, you triumphed in the end. That it was Crimson who gave your friends the mixtape that helped your comatose body remember it's battle moves, defying Uncle King Julien's orders in order to protect you. And that was the final straw that got her to stop working for him once and for all. It was the love that you and her share for your grandmother and for each other that helped her see the error of her ways then, as it was right before our wedding. Surely, now you can see that it is the same for Uncle King Julien and Zora. That love has shown him the light as well." Sage finished speaking while he continued to implore Clover with his eyes, eyes like two bright blue skies gazing down upon two wide open fields.

Clover silently stared back for a moment or two more before snapping out of her stupefied state and at Sage, scolding hot words coming out low and stunned at first before shaking off the shock and boiling over. "You son of a...don't you _dare_ try and put my sister on the same level as that demon! Or mine and hers relationship with his and Zora's! Crimson has been cruel but she has still shown that she loves me time and again, even at her worst! While Uncle King Julien loves that Zora can help him kill my friend! So don't you _dare_ go on like they are the same as us or that my sister is the same as that lying bastard!" Once done, Clover huffed and puffed to try and catch her breath, feral jungle eyes glaring razor sharp claws at Sage's throat.

"...Yes, it is true that Crimson and Uncle King Julien are their own individuals, both on their own unique life paths. Paths now lined with lanterns of love, shining the way down a new road, a road of redemption and good." Sage said this with a straight face, cool, calm and seemingly unfazed by his wife's scathing criticism.

One of Clover's eyes and her body twitched before she furiously demanded, "Will you shut the fuck up and listen to me?! Uncle King Julien is not redeemed and he never will be! It is impossible!"

"I disagree! Love can shine through even the darkest of hearts if one is willing to light the way!" Sage earnestly argued.

"There is no love in his heart! You need to grow up and realize that some people are just pure evil and there's nothing that can change that!"

"I don't believe that! With an open heart, even the cruelest of creatures can be shown the error of their ways!"

Clover didn't respond right away but stood seething, her breath coming out rough, fists clenched tight at her sides while her body trembled. The conversation was going nowhere but she was not going to back down! There had to be a way to get through her husband's thick skull and make him see reason! She rapidly played back not only her previous arguments but those of others as well, seeing if anything crucial had been glossed over or missed. And in the process, came across a name. A name that had not only been mentioned that very day but in previous days as well, even before the reappearance of Uncle King Julien and Zora. A name that Clover, Sage and everyone else present knew all too well.

"An open heart, huh? Yeah, sure, cause that worked out great with Koto!" Clover pointed out with blatantly mock happy sarcasm. Gasps rang out, including a shaky one from Sage. His face fell, calm and confident expression sanded over, silently staring at his wife as a thousand emotions gripped his heart. Everyone else fell silent as well, holding their breaths as they anxiously waited for what their queen would say next.

"Oh yes, I remember it well. How you showed him that old lunchbox of yours, filled with childhood memories. How you _begged_ him to remember who he used to be, that you were family and that he could be kind again, like he was when you were kids! And after you poured your heart out, what was his reaction again? Oh yeah, that's right, he pretended to have an epiphany only to call your memories meaningless junk and laughed in your face! Then he went right on being evil til the very end and you wanna know why? Cause there are some people who never change and that includes the likes of Koto and Uncle King Julien and every moment we're running around in circles arguing gives that monster all the more time to stab King Julien in the back, just like Koto tried to do to us! You remember that?! How he tried to kill us both when our backs were turned, _after_ I stopped you from killing him?! We were stupid lucky that he died instead but I am _not_ going to count on dumb luck to protect King Julien! We have to get his uncle and Zora away from him before it is too late!" Was Clover's bitter criticism, said with blatantly smug mocking at first, fury and desperation bleeding through more and more the longer she spoke until she stopped to catch her breath.

And as she did, she saw Sage's reaction and her own expression changed. Her face fell, anger, frustration and pride sanded over and replaced with worry. "Sage?" She tentatively asked in concern.

For he had a hand over his heart, looking at her as if she had plunged a knife deep within, the pain and betrayal on his face as clear as the sky over their heads.

"S-Sage, I...I didn't mean...p-please, I..." Clover desperately scrambled to find the words as she realized with growing horror what she had just done. For after Koto died, she had held Sage in her arms, listened as he let out pained wails of sorrow for the brother he had lost, her own heart breaking along side his. He didn't express that sorrow often but Clover knew that he still felt it, that Koto's death had left a gaping wound in her husband's heart. A wound that she had just so callously reopened.

Sage held up a paw to silence her. "I understand." He said barely above a whisper, strangely calm.

"W-what?" Clover asked, greatly confused.

Determination settled on Sage's face. "I understand now exactly what we would be dragging Uncle King Julien, Zora and their unborn child into. A place which has been _poisoned_ by cruelty and hatred and I will _not_ allow that to happen!" His volume started off low before he snapped, slicing through the air in a swift motion with his arm, drawing an invisible line in the sand.

"What!?" And just like, the concern Clover had felt for him was swept away and replaced with another wave of dread. He wasn't really saying...he couldn't be! He wouldn't dare!

"This is no place for them to bring their child into this world! They will not live here! I forbid it!" Sage proclaimed to their subjects, severe, firm and final. Exclamations of shock rippled through the crowd, blending together into one deafening roar.

"You-you can't do that!" Clover said, stunned at first before shaking off the shock to snap. Sage turned back to her to snarl,

"While yours and our people's hearts are closed up tight, King Julien and his people's are wide open! End of discussion!"

"No, it's not! You're not the only one with power around here, you know! There are lemurs on my side and we will bring Uncle King Julien and Zora here, whether you like it or not!" Clover furiously proclaimed.

"And once they have rested from their journey, I would then send them back to King Julien, away from the hostility that has rolled in and consumed our land like a toxic mist!" Sage sharply retorted while looking directly at Clover, giving her that same judgmental look of his that she knew all too well.

"What, am I supposed to be the toxic mist then, poisoning everyone's minds, is that it?!" She bitterly accused.

Sage didn't answer but just silently stared at her for a moment more before turning away and leaping off the side of the stairs. Clover rushed to the edge and furiously called after him,

"Oy! Don't you run away from me! We're not finished here!"

But Sage didn't heed her order and soon disappeared into the jungle.

Clover turned to the crowd, who had fallen silent and were all staring back at her, unnerved by the couple's quarrel. She looked over at Campion and Minerva and saw that they too were uncomfortable.

All these gazes bore down on Clover and she furiously proclaimed, "This isn't over! Not by a long shot!" She then rushed down the stairs, shoved aside subjects who didn't get out of her way in time and disappeared into the jungle after her husband.

"W-wait! Queen Clover! What about Cam...pion!?" Minerva anxiously called after Clover, then trailed off, her queen already gone. She then turned to Campion and saw that he was giving her the evil eye, which made her even more anxious and all she could think about in those moments was locking him up so that he couldn't beat her into a pulp. Problem was, she was certain that he would choke her with his wrist binds rather than willingly allowing himself be locked away in the kingdom's dungeon. And his allies would certainly cheer him on. But then again, Clover's allies surely wished to see Campion punished and would be more then happy to help Minerva especially if it included fighting Campion and his supporters. But then again, Minerva had no idea just how many supporters were on each side. For all she knew, she and Clover's could be way outnumbered and therefore wouldn't stand a chance against Campion and his.

In the end, after some rapid back and forth in her brain, Minerva swallowed a lump in her throat, then tentatively told Campion while trying to sound firm, trying to hide the tremor in her voice,

"C-Campion, I n-need to take you to the du-dungeon now!"

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" Campion growled and Minerva saw an entire jungle full of danger in his eye, ready to lunge at her throat.

"Stand down, Campion!" The male lemur who had agreed with Clover demanded before Benson could speak. "Being locked up is the least you deserve!"

"He shouldn't be punished for speaking the truth!" The female lemur who had agreed with Campion snapped.

"He attacked our queen!" The male lemur snapped back.

"She hit him first!"

They continued to argue and others were quick to join them, to choose one side or the other until almost all present were divided into two camps, those who believed Clover and those who believed Campion. Things soon escalated to pushing, shoving, baring of teeth and declarations of scorn, which drowned out Minerva's repeated calls for assistance.

Soon realizing that no one was heeding her pleas, Minerva gave up and turned back to Campion, who was still glaring daggers at her.

"Campion, just come with me peacefully, please! There's no need for violence!" Minerva implored him while defensively holding up her paws.

"You want me to come with ya so bad? Then make me!" Campion snapped, then bit and tore apart his wrist bindings and held up his fists. "Come on, you and me, right now!"

"B-but you're hurt!" Minerva anxiously pointed out.

"Then this should be easy peasy for you." Campion snarled in a mocking manner as he slowly made his way towards Minerva, who slowly, anxiously, backed away from him. For while it was true that she didn't want him to hurt her, she also truly didn't want to hurt him and compound his already existing injuries either.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Benson demanded, rushing up the stairs to stand between them and glare at Campion.

Both he and Minerva were shocked by this interruption but Campion quickly got over his to glare back at Benson and snarl, "So, you really are taking her side!"

His words pierced through Benson's heart like knifes but Benson remained stern and also sad as he asked of Campion, "Campion, please! Is she right?", nodding towards Minerva while keeping his eyes on his friend, "Is Clover? Were you really that mean to Zora? Did you really make her cry?"

"I...I wasn't..." Campion stammered, taken aback by his friend's piercing gaze. Then, he turned his face away and said meekly, "I didn't mean to hurt her."

"So did you apologize or did you go on being an ass!?" Benson pressed on, both angry and afraid that he already knew the answer, wanting to be wrong, needing to hear Campion's perspective.

After a moment's hesitation, Campion turned back to Benson, glaring daggers once more. "No, I didn't apologize for telling her the truth!" He snarled at first before snapping.

"But what if you're wrong!? Or-or even if you're right, that still doesn't give you the right to be so horrible!" Benson nodded towards Minerva and continued to passionately argue, "She's right! You and Clover _are_ just jumping to conclusions…!"

"Don't you_ dare_ compare me to that bitch!" Campion furiously demanded.

"Then stopping a jackass to everybody who disagrees with you!" Benson demanded in kind. Then, his expression and tone softened and he pleaded, "Please, Campion! Don't attack this lady! Don't attack anybody else! Just go to jail, think things over…!"

"I don't need to think anything over! I know that I'm right! And if you wanna lock me up that bad, then you should have no problem making me!" Campion snapped, then bellowed out a battle cry as he lunged at Benson.

Who met him head on while Minerva swiftly got out of the way and watched from the sidelines. When they met in the middle, both Benson and Campion were quick to grab each other's fists, then struggled for some moments, each pushing back against the other with all their might while digging their nails into the stone beneath their feet, both determined to not let go.

"Campion, please! I don't wanna hurt you!" Benson begged.

"It's a little late for that!" Campion snarled bitterly.

And so they continued to push and struggle until suddenly...

Crack!

Benson and Campion froze, for they and Minerva had heard a loud crack. Campion's eye went wide and he let out a strangled gasp, for his already sprained arm was now broken. He then stumbled backwards and grabbed unto his injured appendage, gritting his teeth to hold back agonized howls.

"Oh my gods! Campion, I'm so sorry!" Benson cried out in guilt and concern, petrified in place.

But before Campion would respond with a scathing remark or lunge back into battle, quick as a flash, Minerva suddenly sprang forward and grabbed him around the torso, pinning both arms to his sides, then brought him down to his knees and pinned down his legs with her own.

"Let go of me!" Campion furiously demanded, thrashing in Minerva's grip, which only made her tighten it even more.

"Benson, help me!" Minerva demanded, harsh but also freighted, squeezing even tighter, causing Campion to clench his teeth ever harder.

"O-Okay, okay! Don't hurt him!" Benson snapped out of his shock to beg, then rushed to her assistance.

After some dodging of Campion's legs kicking at his face, Benson was able to grab hold of them and Campion's waist. Then, with Minerva still holding unto Campion's upper body, she and Benson lifted him up and looked out over the clearing.

By this point, the shoving, pushing and teeth baring had escalated into punches, kicks and bites; the clearing now swarming with thrashing bodies, with blood being sprayed across the grass and calls of battle stuffing the air. This mass quarrel was taking place all over, including at the base of the temple steps from which the trio had come. They wouldn't be leaving that way anytime soon.

Fortunately, there was another doorway and set of steps leading down to the jungle floor on the other side of the temple. And so, the trio swiftly made their way through the interior, out the back door and down the stairs without interruption. For although Campion continued to struggle and repeatedly shouted for help along the way, unfortunately for him, his allies were too preoccupied to notice his absence. And they kept not noticing as Benson and Minerva carried him through the village to the temple which held the kingdom's dungeon and successfully locked him inside one of it's cells.

Benson then begged Minerva to help him tend to Campion's injury and after some hesitation, she yielded. So, after securing medical supplies, binds around his ankles and a muzzle on his mouth, Campion was tended to by Minerva with his arms sticking through the bars, she holding unto one while Benson held unto the other. Fortunately, the captain had stopped struggling by that point and begrudgingly allowed himself to be treated without incident.

When that was done, Benson and Minerva left Campion and went out into a hall. There, the two of them sat down on the cool stone floor, leaned back against the wall and let out relived, exhausted sighs. They sat in silence for some moments until Benson broke it, saying soft and sincere,

"Thanks for treating him."

"Thanks for helping me bring him here." Minerva responded, awkwardly but still sincere as well, taken aback by his gentle gratitude. "Seriously though, thanks. Thanks for standing up for me and hearing me out and...just, thanks."

"Well, like I said before, what you said makes sense. And also, you stood up for Zora. Without making her cry or accusing her of...you know." Benson said, mostly with humble admiration that was laced with bitterness by the end. Then, he switched back to his softer tone to tell Minerva, "And I wanna thank you for that too."

Again, Minerva was surprised by how sweet he was being and felt a bit honored in spite of herself...But she also felt a bit guilty as well. "Benson, there's something I need to tell you." She then took a deep breath before cautiously, tentatively telling him, "I...have my own suspicions about Zora. In fact, Clover's… 'theory' about her and Uncle King Julien is the one I'm most partial to."

Well, Benson certainly had not seen that coming, saying in shock and disbelief, "But-but you stood up for her!"

"Cause I don't know anything for sure! And no matter what I think or how I feel about Zora or even Uncle King Julien doesn't give me the right to condemn either of them on assumptions alone and the same goes for Campion and Clover! It's wrong! They could be wrong! I could be wrong! That's why I spoke out against them!" Minerva explained passionately.

Benson didn't respond right away, lost for one as he processed Minerva's words. He also thought about Clover speaking out against Campion's treatment of Zora as well, after Clover herself had accused her of being a power hungry monster. Both her and Minerva's feelings paired with their actions left Benson himself lost on how he should feel. Finally, he angrily asked,

"So you really believe that Zora wants to kill King Julien?"

"...Yes and honestly? A big part of that is because I haven't trusted her ever since she ran off with Uncle King Julien. Just, running off with a bastard like him, without a second thought..." Minerva solemnly admitted, contempt creeping into her tone by the end while slowly shaking her head. Then, she saw that Benson was glaring at her. So, she glared back and snapped, "Fine, okay!? I have my biases too, alright!? At least I can admit it!"

"You're still judging Zora when you don't even know her!" Benson furiously pointed out.

"Oh, and you do!?"

"Yes! She's my friend!" Benson snapped back. Then, his scowl was replaced by a more pensive expression and he went on to say solemnly, "At least, we used to be. Then she got married and moved away to King Julien's kingdom. Didn't hear much from each other after that..." He trailed off and looked away at a distance as he remembered a time long gone.

"Benson?" Minerva asked in concern, his melancholy cooling down her anger. Truth be told, she had figured that Benson knew Zora ever since he first expressed concern for her.

"...Campion knows Zora through me. I asked him to check on her." Benson said, then asked sadly, "Did he really say that she was choosing Uncle King Julien over her own baby when she refused to leave him?"

"Yes." Minerva said with a snarl, her blood boiling at the memory. Then, in spite of herself, she went on to say with awe and amusement, "But she refused to give into his demands, telling that asshole straight up that she was choosing her baby and her man! Oh and speaking of, when she started to cry, Uncle King Julien cussed the jackass out, saying that Zora cared for the baby a whole lot and how dare he say otherwise! And you already heard what happened with Clover but you don't know what happened next, after their fight was broken up! Zora called Campion out on his bullshit some more and man, you should have seen his face! Bastard couldn't even come up with a lame excuse, she shut him up that good!"

"That's-that's good." Benson said without much enthusiasm. "Thanks for telling me, uh...I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Minerva." Minerva told him, now solemn, her brief amusement gone.

"Thanks for telling me all this, Minerva." Benson said sincerely, giving her a soft and sad gaze.

Then, not knowing what else to say, the two of them leaned back against the wall once more, silently staring up at the ceiling for some moments, each in pensive thought.

Then, Benson broke the silence by asking sadly, "Things are gonna keep getting worse around here, aren't they?" In his heart, he already knew the answer and so did Minerva, who responded in kind,

"Yeah."


	14. Chapter 14

After being told that they may both stay in King Julien's kingdom and King Julien himself had left the scene, Zora and the older Julien were approached by none other than Ted and Dorothy, who invited them over for breakfast at their house. The older Julien and Zora were both surprised by this sudden show of hospitality to say the least but still, it did pique their interests and it wasn't like they had anything else planned. So they accepted the invitation and soon, all four lemurs were in Ted and Dorothy's home, with Ted preparing the food while everyone sat around the kitchen table, Dorothy sitting on one side while their guests sat on the other. There wasn't much conversation at first, mainly just bits and pieces like "You want any juice?" and "How do you like your mangos cut up?" A few awkward words sprinkled here and there among Ted slicing through fresh fruit and the sweet smells released, all drifting up and mixing into the air of awkwardness that hung over them all.

"Sooo, uh, heh heh." Ted said, awkward and nervous as he set down everyone's food on the table before he himself took a seat next to his wife. "I'm sure you're both wondering why in the world did we invited you here."

"Yes, we are." The older Julien said curtly while scowling at his hosts.

"Jules! Manners!" Zora scolded him through clenched teeth. This first surprised Julien, then also annoyed him and he opened his mouth to protest. But then closed it, crossed his arms and pouted instead. Zora turned back to their hosts and said warily, "But yes, we are curious about that."

"Yeah, we-we figured." Dorothy said, awkward and nervous like her husband and also like him, unnerved by the harsh amber gaze of her former king. "Well, Ted and I, we've been talking and we wanna know if...you two haven't found a place to live yet, have you?"

"No, there hasn't really been any time for that." Zora told her, slowly and as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Yeah, we-we figured." Dorothy said. Then, a thought came to her and she asked, curious, "Wait, so did you stay last night then?"

"King Julien let us stay in his home while he stayed at the hospital." Zora explained.

"Oh, well, that was nice of him." Dorothy, pleasantly surprised. Then, realizing that the conversation was getting off track, got it back on by saying nervously, "A-anywho, if things don't go well for Clover and you don't wanna stay with King Julien, then...you're both welcome to stay with us, if you wish."

"What!?" The older Julien incredulously exclaimed as he and Zora stared in shock at their hosts.

"It would only be temporary!" Ted was quick to anxiously explain. "I'm sure you two would rather have your own love nest and King Julien would certainly put you on the list for one if you ask but unfortunately, there's still plenty of other lemurs waiting for their own new homes to be built already ahead of you. So, it would be a bit before your's was gotten around to." He slowed and calmed down as he went to an apologetic tone by the end.

"Hold it, back up." Julien held up his paw in a stopping motion, then put it back down. "What do you mean by 'still plenty'? Just how many lemurs are we talking here? And also, why the sudden high demand for new houses?" He asked critically.

Ted and Dorothy gave each other puzzled looks, then Dorothy said, slowly and as if it was the most obvious thing, "Cause most everyone's old ones were destroyed by all the robots and fires."

"What do you mean, robots and fires!?" Julien snapped, standing up and slamming his palms down on the table, rattling it, the kitchen ware and his host's nerves. "Just what the fuck happened here!? And more importantly, is it gonna happen again!?"

"No! No, that whole mess is over and done, honest! Well, at least the King Julien having Timo build all kinds of contraptions to try and protect the kingdom and things going horribly wrong part anyways." Ted was quick to anxiously explain, then slowed down to uncomfortably admit. Then, he leaned on his elbow and shielded the side of his mouth with his paw as he said in a low gossipy tone, "Honestly, between you and me, I'm not sure KJ's ever gonna ask Timo to build anything for him ever again after all that." Then, Ted became confused and asked, "Wait a minute, why are you going on like you're just hearing about this?"

"Cause we are just hearing about it, you moron!" Julien snapped.

"Protect the kingdom...does that have anything to do with Clover leaving you all for dead!? Yeah, I heard her yesterday!" Zora critically piped in, referring to Clover reminding Campion of her mistake as part of her argument against him the previous day.

"She didn't mean to! It was an accident! A horrible, stupid accident! She thought that we would be safe, we all did! But we were wrong! We were all so wrong!" Dorothy argued her rueful defense, shaking her head in shame. Then, she processed the rest of her guest's words and said in disbelief, "Sweet cheese and crackers, you really don't know what happened, do you?"

"No, we don't." Zora snapped.

"But I thought everyone knew about our troubles by now! How in lands sakes have you two haven't!?" Ted asked with great confusion. For according to multiple sources (including of course Xixi), word of The Lemur Kingdom's misfortunes had spread to just about every corner of the island as the hottest jungle gossip.

"Because we haven't been on this island! We've been on _our_ island for the past month! So, no, we don't know what happened! So I'm gonna ask again, what happened!?" Julien demanded, with Zora too glaring at their hosts.

Ted and Dorothy gave each other uneasy looks, then turned back to their guests, with Ted telling them, "Okay, okay, you both deserve to know. Eat up and get comfy cause it's a bit of a long story."

And so, Dorothy solemnly began the terrible tale.

"Well, it all began not that long after you two got together, dontcha know. When Clover received a letter from Sage, saying that he had important news for her. Well, Clover figured that he was gonna ask her to marry him and got all excited about being his queen and gaining control of his 'super cool army' and all their weapons and having all that power and..." Bitterness drenched Dorothy's words by the end, along with mocking as well. Then, she saw her guest's confused and uncomfortable reactions and became aware of how she sounded. Embarrassed, she composed herself and continued on, though her discomfort was clear to all. "So that meant she wasn't going to be living here anymore. And when King Julien told all of us this, saying outright that she was abandoning us, we panicked."

"But why would he say that? Clover must have reassured him that she was going to train someone to take her place?" Zora inquired, confused and confident that was the case. But then, she saw her host's uneasy expressions that they exchanged with each other and asked with less confidence, "She did tell him that, right?"

Dorothy and Ted lingered on each other for a moment more before facing their guests and Dorothy said solemnly, "No, she didn't tell him that. She didn't tell the rest of us anything before rushing off to meet Sage. It was King Julien who reassured us that we would be alright, that he would train us himself to defend ourselves. That we did it against Koto and...the rest of the mountain lemurs, we could do it again." She stumbled and became even more uncomfortable speaking about The War of The Beasts, hoping that she wasn't offending Zora.

"King Julien? Training you all to fight? Seriously!?" Was Zora's bewildered and critical comment.

"Of all the hair brained...do we even need to ask how that went!?" The older Julien snapped, confident that he already knew the outcome.

"Well, uh...here comes the really hair brained part." Ted said sheepishly. "After a day of...not so great training, the fossa showed up. But everyone thought that they were fake because of Mary Ann and...and because I said that I had a surprise for everyone and everyone figured that was the fossa were the surprise, that I made fake ones for training but I didn't! The fossa were real but nobody knew that but they managed to trick and trap the fossa in a net fore figuring out that they were real! But then, the fossa broke free and we were all so scared that-that we froze and the fossa were gonna kill us but then, Mary Ann and Horst showed up and Mary Ann chased the other fossa away and…!" Ted gained speed as he went until he was frantically telling the tale until he suddenly stopped. He had a brief thoughtful pause while he also caught his breath. And then he continued at a slower pace. At first. "But then, King Julien thought...we all thought that we had proven that we could defend ourselves cause yes, some of us did trap the fossa but the fossa broke free and if weren't for Mary Ann…! She was the real hero but we were so focused on ourselves and what we had done right but not on what we had done wrong or her and then Sage proposed to Clover and then it was all about the wedding and love and nobody thought about Mary Ann or kingdom security until it was too late and...oh dear gods, we were so stupid!" Ted finished his rueful lament, propping his elbows on the table and holding his head in his hands.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Now it was Zora's turn to snap, beating the older Julien to it. To stand up and slam her paws down on the table, to rattle that, the kitchen ware and the nerves of her hosts, making them practically jump out of their skins. "Are you seriously telling me that _no one_ saw _any_ flaws with that logic!? Not even Clover!? And when you say that _no one_ thought of Mary Ann or anything to do with _everyone's safety,_ that includes Clover!?"

To which Ted and Dorothy each gave uneasy nods in response.

"I don't believe this! She really didn't…?! She didn't even access your 'training', to make sure that you could actually defend yourselves!? Or check on Mary Ann!? Maybe figure out why the fossa were attacking you all when Mary Ann is supposed to...unless they...rebelled against her..." Zora's scathing assessment petered out as realization dawned on her, her last few words coming out as stunned horror.

"Yes, they did." Ted said solemnly. "According to Horst, they heard about Clover leaving and they were tired of listening to Mary Ann so, they struck. But we thought...we thought that Mary Ann had everything under control, that we wouldn't have to worry them again but we were wrong! Oh so wrong! During Clover and Sage's wedding reception, after they left, the fossa came back and we all panicked again but this time...this time the fossa were able to...to...oh dear gods..." Ted couldn't finish his woeful response, covering his mouth with his trembling paw and looking away, squeezing his eyes shut as his mind replayed that terrible night.

"There were lemurs that didn't make it." Dorothy solemnly finished for him, her words weighted down by sorrow and her own eyes starting to get misty.

Zora and the older Julien were both taken aback by just how saddened their hosts had become and Zora felt a pang of sympathy as she imagined that the couple must had lost someone dear to them that day.

"None of us saw Mary Ann that night or any of the other times that the fossa have attacked since then. Nobody know's what's happened to her. The general consensus round here is that she either betrayed us lemurs so she could keep being queen or that she was deposed and...and _killed_ by the other fossa." Dorothy continued to say solemnly, stumbling on the last few words, once more feeling a sharp pang in her heart at the thought of Mary Ann being torn apart by her own people.

"They're hunting lemurs again…!" Zora said with stunned horror as the gravity of it all truly hit her, her eyes widening with terror as she helplessly stared at her hosts. "They're hunting lemurs again…!" were the only words she could speak as it all hit her like a tidal wave, pulling her down, surrounding and smothering her with it's crushing, consuming weight.

Julien too stared at his hosts with wide eyes filled with terror, the gravity of it all hitting him like boulders down a mountain side, slamming into and pinning him under it's crushing weight, it's razor sharp edges pressing down and cutting deep into his heart. He started to breathe heavier and said, his words drenched with dread, "She's dead...Mary Ann's dead!"

This pulled Ted and Dorothy out of their somber memories, now looking at their guests with concern, with Ted saying gently,

"We don't know that for sure..."

"Are you kidding me?!" Julien snapped, causing his hosts to wince back. "Fossa don't forgive, especially not lemur loving traitors who screw them out of their favorite food! So even if Mary Ann had wanted to betray you guys, it wouldn't have mattered! Her people wouldn't have accepted her back and they wouldn't have just let her leave and risk her warning all of you either! Face it, they killed her! She's dead! She's gone!...She's gone...she's gone..." His critical comment petered out, his voice lowering to barely above a stunned, terrified whisper, "She's gone and now there's no one holding the fossa back."

Julien then looked over to Zora and saw that she was looking back at him, saw her own feelings of fear and helplessness within her gaze and a fresh wave of panic gripped Julien's heart, squeezing it ever tighter and piercing through with it's razor sharp claws, the blood pouring out in his frantic words as he turned back to his hosts and beseeched them,

"Please tell me you finally got a working security system! Tell me that something or someone is guarding the kingdom right now! Tell me that you're not all sitting ducks here! You can't be! My nephew wouldn't be arguing for Zora and I to stay here if you were! So tell me that something is protecting you! Tell me that someone will be protecting Zora and the baby! Please! Please tell me that they'll be safe!"

Ted and Dorothy didn't answer right away but instead silently stared back at the older Julien, so taken aback they were by his passionate plea. By the hope and fear in his softened gaze which matched that of Zora, who was also looking to them and waiting with bated breath for their answer. Then after a moment or two, Dorothy was able to recover from her shock enough to say with cautious optimism,

"Yes, yes there is someone protecting us now. And if you ask me, he's been doing a pretty job so far."

And just like that, both Julien and Zora let out shaky relieved breathes, both feeling the pressure wrapped around their hearts being lifted while the tension from their bodies seemingly melted before Ted and Dorothy's eyes. Then, the couple embraced and Julien said with breathless relief as he nuzzled his head against Zora's chest,

"Oh thank Frank!"

While Zora nuzzled her chin against the top of his head. And kept it there a moment later as she looked back to her hosts and asked, happy and impatient, 

"Well, who is it?"

Ted and Dorothy exchanged nervous looks, then Ted tentatively said, "Uh, well...th-that's a good question! Um...Zora, do you ….remember Dr. S?", and gave a fake nervous smile.

This caused Julien and Zora to pull apart and look at their hosts with wary confusion and Zora said,

"Yes, I remember him. He's the mad snake doctor who loves to treat his patients like lab rats. What does he have to do…?" And then, she understand and started to slowly shake her head and said with stunned disbelief, "No..."

"Yes..." Ted timidly told her, steeling himself for the backlash.

"He can't be…!" Julien said, he too in disbelief.

"He is." Dorothy said meekly, she too bracing herself.

"But he...has King Julien gone mad?!" Zora snapped. "It's bad enough that he trusts that _psycho_ to be your doctor but this!? Why would he...what is he thinking!?"

"That's what I would like to know!" Julien furiously demanded, his amber glare now blazing over the thought of his nephew's latest instance of reckless stupidity. For he knew of the snake doctor's infamous reputation from jungle gossip and Zora's stories from her brief time living in his nephew's kingdom.

"Now, now I know it sounds a little crazy..." Ted tried to be reassuring while failing to hide his own anxiety.

"A little crazy? A little crazy?! My nephew has done stupid shit before but this!? He's reached a whole new level trusting that psycho!" Julien furiously argued.

"That 'psycho' has been saving our lives!" Dorothy argued back.

"What!?" Both Julien and Zora shouted incredulously.

"It's true!" Ted said with great conviction. "The whole reason King Julien hired Dr. S in the first place was cause Dr. S saved him and Nurse Phantom from a fossa! And that made King Julien figure that if Dr. S could protect them, then he could protect the rest of us as well and he has! Over and over again! And I know it's hard to believe but Dr. S really is taking his new job very seriously! Way more then he does being a doctor! He's even been training with Clover so he can do an even better job of protecting us then he already has!"

"But...he's...seriously? He's..." Words escaped a stupefied Julien while Zora said with both exasperation and bewilderment,

"I don't believe this. I don't believe this! Why would he suddenly...and _now_ Clover finally decides to train someone!?"

To which Dorothy scowled and angrily argued with great conviction, "Yes and she feels terrible for taking so long! Like Ted said, she was caught in the moment like the rest of us and thought everything would be fine! She didn't even know that anything had gone wrong until after the whole robot fiasco was already over! And ever since she has, she's done nothing but own up to her mistakes and is trying to atone for them, which includes training Dr. S! And also agreeing to that if he ever _can't_ keep us safe, then she'll come back here to resume her old job so that she _can!"_

"...Was this Clover's idea or someone else's?" Was Zora's critical question.

"Someone else's but she's been agreeable with the whole thing!" Dorothy said in defense.

"Maybe the reason she's been so agreeable is so that you and everyone else won't see her as the bitch who doesn't give a flying fuck about any of you!" Zora snapped.

Both Dorothy and Ted breathed in sharp gasps with their eyes going wide like four small suns and Ted covering his mouth with his paws. Then, Dorothy's wide stare turned into a tight glare and she said with a snarl,

"What did you say?"

"I'm saying that bitch only cares about being a queen and having all the power and that she didn't bother to ensure your safety on purpose because she doesn't care if you all live or die!" Was Zora's scathing retort.

"I can't believe...That little…! Julien had gone from shocked to furious, ready to agree with his lover but was interrupted by Dorothy, who snapped,

"That's not true! We literally just told you that she was caught in the moment like everybody else by…!"

"And I'm telling you that I don't believe for one moment that Clover could be that stupid!" Zora snapped back.

"We were that stupid!"

"Oh, I can believe that with you and most everybody else but not Clover! Not when it comes to warfare! She is a warrior! She would never slip up in such a stupid manner with something that important!"

"She could if love was making her stupid!"

"Love!? Wait, what!?" Zora said with exasperated confusion.

"Yes! Love! Everyone here was so wrapped up in Clover and Sage's love that everything else was just shoved aside to where we all didn't even think to be afraid of the fossa attacking again! Us! Lemurs not afraid of fossa attacking! Cause love us that dumb and I believe that's what happened to Clover too! That she was so wrapped up with being _in love_ that it made _her_ dumb and made_ her _not think about it!" Dorothy argued passionately.

After a stunned moment of both herself and Julien staring at Dorothy as if she had just suggested that all the fossa ready wanted was to be friends with the lemurs, Zora snapped,

"Are you fucking kidding me!? You're seriously expecting us to believe that pack of bull!?"

"It's not a pack of...bologna!" Dorothy snapped back.

"Oh yes it is and we're not buying it!" Julien furiously proclaimed.

"Why not!? If I can be so distracted by somebody else's love, then why not Clover, the one actually in love!?" Dorothy demanded to know.

"Cause this is Clover!" Julien furiously argued back. "You know, Clover? Always crazy paranoid about everything Clover? Always thinking of a thousand ways that everything can go wrong Clover? Always coming up with outlandish solutions for every fucking scenario Clover?! That kind of paranoia doesn't just magically go away all cause she's got the hots for air headed man candy!"

"And I say it can!" Ted passionately argued. "Cause love is that powerful! Powerful enough so that things that used to matter so much suddenly don't matter at all! You of all lemurs know that!"

"Excuse me!?" Julien said with exasperated confusion.

"You tried to steal the throne from King Julien for seasons but then, you fell in love with Zora and suddenly all that scheming and back stabbing didn't matter anymore! Cause love made you think differently and if it can do that to you, then why can't it have done the same thing to Clover?"

"How dare you...you...you…!" Julien struggled to find the words to express his fury.

"How dare you compare my Jules to that power hungry bitch!" Zora expressed it for him and for herself, standing up and slamming her paws down on the table once more, with Ted recoiling from her anger.

"Clover isn't power hungry and she ain't a...that terrible word!" Dorothy snapped.

"Oh yes she is and I am tired of listening to you defending her! I'm done!" Zora furiously proclaimed, taking her paws off the table to stand up straight, looking down at her hosts with a scathing glare. Then, she turned to Julien and said to him, "Let's go, Jules!" Then started towards the door.

Julien hesitated, wanting to farther berate his hosts, lingering in his chair for a moment more as he shot fiery hot daggers at them. Then, he stood up, followed his lover's lead and threw one last scorching scowl in his host's direction before slamming the door shut behind him.

…..

After seeing Clover and company off, King Julien, Maurice and Dr. S went off in search of Zora and the older Julien. They soon found the couple at a watering hole, by themselves away from the handful of other lemurs gathered there as well. They were sitting on the bank, pressed by against each other as they both stared across the pool, barely hearing the surrounding chatter of lemurs trying to enjoy it's refreshing water in spite of their unwanted guests. For their fear and anger was now simmering below the surface as their thoughts swirled within their minds like a million leaves caught in a tropical storm. They certainly felt like leaves, caught in the middle of a whirlwind situation of which they had no control of nor any clue of it's course.

The contemplating couple were so deep in their own dark thoughts that they didn't notice King Julien, Maurice or Dr. S approaching until King Julien gave them a nervous and awkward greeting.

"Uh, hi?"

This startled the pair, causing both of them to quickly and anxiously get up and turn towards the sudden sound of his majesty's voice. And that's when they saw King Julien and his companions standing before them.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you guys! I was just...wanting to see what you two were up to, that's all." King Julien gave an anxious apology which slowed down to awkwardness.

To which the older Julien scowled and snarled in response, "Well, we just found out that your kingdom isn't as safe as we thought!", his sharp words causing his nephew confusion and unease. "That the fossa are a threat again and the only line of defense this place has is _him_!" The older Julien snapped, looking from his nephew to Dr. S, who recoiled from his smothering glare. He looked away only to find Zora giving him her own evil eye as well.

"Found out? Wait, you mean, you two didn't know about Dr. S before!?" Maurice asked with confusion and concern.

"No cause we've been in Feartopia!" The older Julien explained, then turned to snap at King Julien, "We _thought_ that Mary Ann was still keeping the other fossa away but we just found out that she's _not_ cause she's dead!"

This took King Julien aback for a moment, then he tried to argue, "Nobody knows that for sure! She could be…!

"Don't you start on that too! Mary Ann's dead, the fossa are hunting lemurs again and the only thing standing between them and us is _him!_" Was the older Julien's scathing retort, his last word drenched with extra venom as he stretched out an arm to point out Dr. S, who winced in response. "All because that _bitch_ Clover left you all for dead!"

Shocked gasps rippled through the small crowd that had gathered closer so they could better hear the conversation between uncle and nephew. Heads turned towards King Julien and company, all three of whom also gasped and stared in wide eyed shock and horror at the older Julien. Then, King Julien was the first to get over his shock enough to furrow his burrow and say with a dangerously low snarl,

"Take. That. Back!"

"No! Zora and the baby's lives are at risk because that _bitch_ couldn't be bothered to do her job one more fucking time!" The older Julien furiously argued.

"Stop calling her that! Clover is not that and it was an accident! A horrible mistake she made because love was making her stupid!" King Julien furiously argued back.

"Don't you give me that bullshit excuse! You may be a bunch of morons but Clover knows better! She knew exactly what she was doing!"

"No she didn't!"

"Yes she did!"

"No she didn't!"

"Yes she did!" A new voice suddenly snapped.

This caught everyone off guard, causing eyes to look this way and that and the older Julien to demand, "What the...who said that!?"

"I did!" The voice proclaimed and it's owner stepped out of the stunned crowd. It was a lady lemur, about middle aged, with short gray-brown fur speckled with white and silver. Her light gray face was tightened into a scowl while her light blue eyes glared ice cold daggers aimed at both uncle and nephew as she came towards them.

"I can't believe I'm actually fucking agreeing with _you_, of all lemurs, but I am! Cause you're right! The fossa killed Mary Ann because Clover stabbed her, stabbed all of us in the back! Though, I gotta warn ya, good luck getting him to admit it!" She told the older Julien with sharp bitterness and thrust out an arm to point out King Julien. "According to _him,_ his _precious Clover_ can do no wrong!"

"Hey! I just said that Clover made a horrible mistake but that was an accident! A horrible stupid accident! She didn't mean to hurt anyone!" King Julien earnestly argued in defense.

"Oh, she didn't mean to, huh? It was an accident, right? She's so sorry, right?! Ha!" The lady said with blatantly bitter sarcasm which became sincere bitterness by the end. She then turned to the older Julien and Zora. "Ya see what we've had to deal with?! The same excuses day in and day out defending her, our feelings be damned! Oh, and speaking of, you wanna know the real reason why he wants both of you to stay here so badly!?" Neither Zora nor the older Julien responded right away, for they were too taken aback by the sudden ranting of this random lemur.

Who didn't wait for a response but went on to say, "I'll tell ya why! To please Clover! Yeah! So that maybe she won't have to deal with more angry subjects! Which she's probably gonna have to anyways but that's okay! She can just call on her good buddy, King Julien! He'll be more than happy to help, by any means! And if that means that _we_ have to fight a mountain lemur uprising in under to get _her_ kingdom back, then so be it!" She proclaimed with manic fury drenched in bitter mocking, spreading out an arm to point out her fellow citizens behind her.

Gasps rang out and heads turned towards King Julien and company once more, seeing that the trio was taken aback as well. Only this time, it was Maurice who got over his shock first to say,

"What!? No! No, they wouldn't do that! King Julien and Clover wouldn't do that to you for anything!" He earnestly argued, turning from the lady to the crowd.

"It's true!" King Julien also earnestly argued to his people. "If Clover's peoples do rebel and she and Sage get kicked out of their kingdom, I'm sure they'd come here and ask for a place to stay but Clover wouldn't demand that we fight a war and I wouldn't either!"

"Like hell you wouldn't! You'd do anything to help your beloved Clover!" The lady snapped.

"Of course I would help her! I'd invite her and Sage to live here! Not risk your lives by dragging you all into a war and even if I wanted to, Clover wouldn't! She wouldn't want any of you to get hurt and neither do I! I love you guys!" King Julien continued his earnest argument.

"Love us? You love us?! You sure have a fucking funny way of showing it! Going on and on about how Clover cares about us when she's the _bitch _who left us all to die!" Was the lady's furious retort.

Shocked gasps filled the air once more as memories of Horst describing Clover with the same derogatory term came flooding back to the forefront of most everyone's minds, along with King Julien's reaction. People had expected history to repeat itself between nephew and uncle before both were so suddenly interrupted. Now they wondered just what his majesty's reaction would be towards this new offender and looked expectantly to their king.

Whose amber eyes went wide like two small suns before then narrowing into a scorching glare, a threatening inferno sparked within as King Julien said with a dangerously low snarl,

"Take. That. Back!"

"Or what? You'll hit me too!? Go ahead! It'll be _nothing_ compared to what you and that bitch have already done!" The lady snapped, bitter sorrow lacing her furious words. By that point, her eyes had grown misty and she took a shaky breath before narrowing them into a bitterly cold scowl and saying with a snarl, "Lemurs are _dead_ because of her! Or have you already forgotten all about them!?"

King Julien's breath caught in his throat and the blaze in his gaze was stomped out. For he knew that she was referring to those unfortunate lemurs caught by the fossa during Clover and Sage's wedding reception, carried off to never be seen again.

"Have you ever wondered who they were? Their hopes? Their dreams? Their names!?" The lady pressed on.

And King Julien realized with growing horror that he not only didn't know their hopes and dreams but that he didn't know anything about his fallen people. Not even their names! Why didn't he know their names!? Why had he never asked around to find out who they were? They must have living friends and family, why didn't he try to find them? Those living loved ones, they deserved condolences! They deserved apologizes! For while love may have made everyone in the kingdom stupid, so had his stupid training! It made his people overly confident, which made everyone let their guards down! Which made it that much easier for love to make everyone stupid which got his poor peoples killed! He shared the blame for their deaths, the least he could do was apologize and offer compassion to their loved ones left behind!

And then the lady said with bitter sorrow, "Well, I can tell you all that and more about one! Her name was Kate and she was my daughter!"

And in that moment, King Julien felt his heart stop. Frozen not only by her words but also her eyes, both so ice cold while at the same time flooded with agonizing pain. Which became more evident as the beginnings of tears started to appear while her face twisted with an expression of rage and lost.

"My baby is dead because of your beloved Clover!" She said, low and raspy at first, as if being choked by her own misery, before finding her voice to snap.

To which King Julien responded with earnest ruefulness, "It's my fault, too! If it weren't for my stupid training…!"

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" The lady snapped, causing King Julien to wince back. "You have no idea what it's like listening to you defend her! It's like...her betrayal and Kate's death left a knife stuck in my heart and _you_ just keep twisting it and twisting it and twisting it with your 'she's didn't mean to' this and 'she's so sorry' that!" She held a fist over her heart while making twisting motions to emphasis her anguished scathing retort. "Making it bleed all the more because you don't care about anyone or anything but _your _Clover and _your_ never ending quest to make _her_ love _you _back!"

"W-what!?" King Julien shouted, greatly confused.

"What? You thought that we were too stupid to notice? Newsflash, we did! We all know that you are madly in love with Clover!"

"What!? No I'm not! I don't love Clover! I mean, I do love her but not in that way! I love her like I love you guys! As my friends! As my family! I love Clover as my family! As my really violent sister friend! You-you guys know that, right?" King Julien said, incredulous and frantic as he looked around at his people, slowly down as he desperately searched for someone to back him up. But besides the lady, all his other people avoided his eyes while looking very uncomfortable. Even his uncle, Zora and Dr. S were the same way. But then, King Julien's gaze landed on Maurice, who returned it with an uneasy expression. At this, King Julien quickly kneeled down and placed his paws on his friend's shoulders.

"Momo! You know that I love Clover as a friend, right? Just as a friend, right?" King Julien asked of him, desperate while also certain that his friend would give him the answer that he wanted, that he needed. "...Momo?" He asked with less certainly when Maurice hesitated to give that answer.

"King Julien, I...I..." Maurice was lost for words, desperately searching for something to say while dreading the thought of saying anything at all.

Meanwhile, dread spread even farther through out King Julien's heart, which he tried to hide but didn't fully succeed as he asked once more, pleading with both voice and eyes, "Momo?"

Maurice knew that he had to say something, anything but before he could, the lady spoke once more.

"Ya see?! Everyone knows! And that's the real reason why you want Clover to leave Sage! So she'll come running to you and that's why you keep choosing her over us! To make that happen! Why, instead of dragging that she demon back here to make her protect us, make her pay for her crimes, you instead pull a bullshit story out of your ass about a '_sign from Frank_' to justify hiring him!" The lady said with scathing conviction, briefly switching to mocking air quotes before going back to her sincerely irate tone and pointing an accusing at Dr. S, who winced at the attention. "Who you had always known as the _psycho_ who loves to treat your subjects like _toys_ that he can cut open and stitch back together and bring back as unholy abominations! All without giving a flying fuck about us so long as he had someone to play his sick games with! You didn't know that he would actually give a shit and protect us! You had no idea but you hired him anyways, putting our lives on the line all so that _you_ wouldn't have to fuck up _your_ chances of wooing _your_ beloved Clover!" Then, she stopped to huff and puff, catching her breath as she waited for King Julien's response while continuing to glare ice cold daggers aimed his throat, her last sliver of patience ready to snap like an icicle off a roof if he dared to deny his crimes one more time.

But the only response King Julien gave was the sound of his own breathing, which had grown heavier as well but unlike the lady, felt that he couldn't get enough air no matter how hard he tried. And as he felt his head getting lighter, he grabbed it and felt his nails digging into his scalp just as he could feel her words wrapping themselves around his heart like vines, squeezing ever tighter while digging their razor sharp thorns in ever deeper.

Maurice watched his friend with mounting grave concern before scowling and turning to snap at the lady, "King Julien doesn't want Clover to leave Sage because he's in love with her! He wants her to leave Sage because Sage has been an inconsiderate ass! And he didn't lie about the sign! Dr. S _did_ protect him and Nurse Phantom and King Julien _did_ interpret that as a sign from Frank that Dr. S could protect everybody else!" Maurice then turned to the crowd and his tone softened as he continued to earnestly argue, "Cause yes, King Julien was being stupid and stubborn and selfish at the time but he was still thinking of you! Still trying so hard to find a way to keep you all safe! He just wanted a solution that didn't hurt anyone and he thought that Dr. S was that solution and he has!"

"No thanks to King Julien! And do you honestly think that sending away the freaks so that our only protection would be a snake with no experience protecting anything, who we had only known as a psychopath who never cared if we lived or died, all to prove his majesty's point, wasn't hurting anyone!?" Was the lady's critical question.

Maurice gave a gasp, for he knew that she was referring to Dr. S's first time defending the kingdom. After King Julien sent the New York freaks away from the village to see how Dr. S did protecting everyone by himself. After the fossa showed up with no Dr. S in sight. After said fossa cornered lemurs at the medical hut and were just about to have King Julien as their first bite of breakfast, did Dr. S finally swoop in to save the day. The reason why he hadn't done it right away was because he had been out hunting. For the previous weeks had left the snake doctor quite famished and he didn't want hunger to drive him to the point of killing lemurs. So he had gone out to grab a quick bite to eat, figuring that the fossa wouldn't show up during that brief period of time. Both Dr. S and King Julien were truly remorseful for their mistakes. But they were still mistakes that had almost gotten lemurs killed.

Dr. S knew this as well and looked away in shame. Meanwhile, Maurice was taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered to argue with passionate conviction,

"Yes, King Julien made a _terrible_ decision, I'm not gonna deny that! But ever since then, he's been trying so hard to atone it, for all his mistakes! That's why even after being proven right about Dr. S, he still asked all of you if you really felt safe with him guarding the kingdom! Even if it meant bringing Clover back! King Julien gave you that choice cause he wants to do better by you, to listen more and be more considerate of your feelings! That's why he didn't just decide yesterday that his uncle and Zora _have_ to stay here, no ifs, ands or buts! Again, he gave you that choice, even if it meant not being able to help Clover! Cause King Julien knows that your voices deserve to be heard! That they matter! You matter! Cause he loves you!"

"A choice? A choice!? We never had a choice! If we said no to his uncle and Zora living here, then the mountain lemurs would absolutely rebel and we'd all be dragged into that mess! While saying yes has at least given us a small chance that they won't! And as for Dr. S verses Clover, that was a choice between the guy who had just saved our lives verses the bitch who left us to die!" The lady snapped.

"Stop calling her that!" Maurice snapped back.

"No! Clover is a self centered bitch, just like King Julien is a self centered bastard! He talks a big game about loving us but it's all an act! To fool you, Mort, Nurse Phantom and anyone else who'll listen to his bull! He's...he's just like his uncle!" The lady furiously proclaimed, turning to face the older Julien, making him very uncomfortable to be put on the spot. Meanwhile, the lady looked between uncle and nephew as she went on to say, "Both of you don't care about anything but yourselves and what you want and it doesn't matter who you screw over to get it!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is!"

As their quarrel continued, Dr. S kept watching it unfold along with most everyone else. That was, until his gaze briefly passed over King Julien. Then he looked again.

"Mister King Julien, are you alright?" Dr. S asked with concern. For King Julien's breathing had become heavier still as his trembling paws still gripped his head as a thousand thoughts and emotions thrashed about within. All while his horror stricken eyes stared down at the ground while his ears rang with all too familiar panic stricken screams mixed with upbeat party music playing in the background.

"Mister King Julien? Mister King Julien!" Dr. S gave out a panicked cry, poking King Julien with his tail but receiving no response. Meanwhile, everyone else had heard him and turned towards snake doctor and king, including the lady and Maurice, the latter's blazing gaze stomped out upon seeing his friend's ever increasing distress.

"King Julien!" Maurice cried out, rushing to stand before his friend and grabbing his arms.

This brought King Julien's rapid breathing to a halt and he finally looked up. And for a moment, his misty dumbstruck eyes stared back into his friend's warm worried gaze.

"King Julien..." Maurice said with gentle sadness.

Then everything once more hit King Julien like a tidal wave, causing him to lank and stumble back away from Maurice, giving his friend a rueful expression before then bolting.

"King Julien!" Maurice cried out but King Julien kept running without looking back, across the clearing and towards the surrounding jungle. Others called out to him as well but one was able to make herself known above the others, all to furiously scream at him one more time.

"Oh, you're running away now, huh? Fine! Go ahead and run! You can't escape the truth!"

And those words rang in King Julien's ears long after he was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

King Julien ran.

And ran and ran and ran, crossing paths with confused and concerned citizens, refusing to heed their calls towards his person as he raced past them, raced farther into the jungle. He didn't know where he was going but didn't wish to stop, was too afraid to stop. So, he kept running and as he did, he thought. Back on all those seasons spent getting to know Clover.

To both fear and be annoyed by Clover's craziness but also admiring her crazy creativeness that helped her come with all sorts of fantastic ideas, be it her fantasy novels or her insane security plans. To be irritated when she now and again, didn't think through one of those same plans but also applauding her quick thinking. To be frustrated by her insane love for rules but also respecting her dedication for what she believed in. To be exasperated and freaked out when she hovered too close for comfort but also grateful that she did. Grateful that she was always there for him, not just keeping him safe physically but looking out for his emotional well being too, even though matters concerning the latter were so much harder for her then the former. Because underneath her crazy scary outsides, a noble and caring heart beat within her insides. That believed in justice and responsibility and he loved that so much about her.

He loved how her wild jungle eyes lit up when she got an especially freaky idea. He loved how she just radiated energy when she got super happy excited. He loved her crazy scary laugh. It was so beautiful….Clover was beautiful, whether she was beating people up or standing around in her wedding dress.

It was then that Julien stopped running and thought about all that had happened after he first saw Clover in that dress. And as he did, tears pooled in his eyes and his legs began to shake like those of a newborn babe's. Then, they gave out and Julien fell unto his hands and knees, his tears drizzling down into the dirt as his whole body shook from his ragged breaths, as pained whimpers turned into forlorn wails. And Julien kept wailing like a lost child as he curled in on himself, as the terrible truth came down upon him.

The lady was right.

He couldn't deny it anymore. To anybody. To himself.

He was in love with Clover.

He was in love with Clover and he would give anything for her to love him back.

Anything.

….

"Julie!"

"Julie!"

"Julie!"

Rob called out with mounting concern as he anxiously looked around for any trace of his friend.

For after King Julien ran away from the watering hole, Dr. S and Maurice had rushed after him but unfortunately, soon lost his trail. So, the pair then went to Rob and Mort, begging for their assistance. Well, neither Rob nor Mort had to be asked twice and everyone split up in search of their missing companion.

And that was why Rob was now desperately calling out to his friend, searching high and low as he walked alone through the jungle. It was late into the afternoon, which meant that Julien could have been alone with his thoughts for hours by then and Rob shuddered at the thought of just how dark they could be. He prayed that some friendly soul had already found Julien and was giving him the comfort that he so desperately needed, be it from someone else in the search party or another, Rob didn't care! Julien needed help and he needed it now!

"Julie, please! If you can hear me, say something! Dr. S and Maurice told me and Mort what happened! They're not angry with you! None of us are angry with you!" Was Rob's anxious and sincere reassurance.

"You should be."

Rob faintly heard a familiar voice say sadly. It came from behind and above his person and when he looked up into the tree that he had just passed, saw the tip of a black and white striped tail sticking out of it's veil of leaves.

"Julie!" Rob cried out in relief and rushed to climb up the tree. As he approached, the tail swiftly ducked back into it's cover with Rob following suit, behind the veil and unto a branch where he found the rest of Julien hugging his knees with his face turned away.

"Julie..." Rob said with gentle sadness.

"Go away! I'm bad and you shouldn't be near me!" Julien said woefully and without meeting Rob's gaze.

"Julie, please..." Rob begged, coming over to sit close to Julien and laid a paw on his shoulder.

"Get away from me!" Julien snapped and whipped around at Rob, who recoiled in fright.

Upon seeing his startled expression, Julien's own softened as fresh guilt came over him. "Please! Please, just go away! I'm a monster!" He woefully pleaded, hiding his face in his paws.

"You're not a monster!" Rob countered with great conviction.

"Yes I am!" Julien snapped, looking back at him. "Dr. S and Maurice told you what the lady said, right!? That I use people! That I don't care who I hurt as long as I get what I want!"

"Please stop! I know what she said! That doesn't mean she's right!"

"Then tell that I don't love Clover! That I don't wish that she was with _me _instead of _Sage_! Go on, tell me!" Julien snapped.

This took Rob aback and even when he got over his initial shock, still couldn't speak. For while he had been behind on much of the latest local gossip for a good while, he still heard things now and then working at the hospital, including speculations on the exact nature of Julien and Clover's relationship. Rob himself had tried to brush it off as just silly gossip and when Julien and/or Clover were especially friendly towards each other, told himself that they were just friends. They had to be, right? Then, Rob would scold himself for taking it all so seriously. So what if Julien and Clover had feelings for each other? Why should he care? They were both adults, they could be together if they wanted to. It wouldn't hurt him in the slightest. Nether the less, it was a topic that he didn't much care for but that persistently kept coming up for seasons and even after people started jumping ship to wonder about Sage and Clover, talk of her and Julien never entirely went away. Not even after the now infamous wedding.

So, Rob remained silent while helplessly looking back at Julien, knowing that if he tried to deny his statement, Julien would see right through him.

"Ha! You can't say it cause you know that it would be a big fat lie! It's so obvious that I love her!" Julien bitterly proclaimed. Then he added, with woefulness now in the mix, "I love her and I'm just gonna keep hurting people as all part of my self centered plot to make her mine!"

"Julie..." Rob said with sad gentle concern.

"You wanna know something that Maurice told me right after I signed that horrible contract? He said that Dr. S saving us might not have been a sign from Frank after all! That it may have just been dumb luck and me, wanting to believe that it was Frank so that I wouldn't have to make Clover come back! And you wanna know what? He was right!"

"He was right! It was just a lucky happenstance that I used to try and trick the peoples, that I tricked myself into believing that it was something more! That I used to rope Dr. S and-and you into _my_ mess! And the peoples into yet _another_ terrible idea! Trusting their lives with a guy who had ever treated them like-like toys! Making them so afraid! And-and sending the freaks away! All to prove a point! My stupid, selfish point that almost got people killed! If Dr. S arrived just a little later, everybody who couldn't run away cause of my dumb ideas and-and everybody who wouldn't leave them, they all could have...you could have…!" Shame wrapped itself around Julien's heart ever tighter as he spoke, piercing through ever deeper with it's sharpened thorns, the blood pouring out in his bitterly rueful lament. Then, he stopped and stared at Rob for a moment. For he knew that his friend had been among those who had refused to leave the injured for dead that day and a fresh wave of shame and horror slammed into him.

"Rob...you could have been killed! I almost got you killed! You and everybody else! You all could have died all cause I care more about making Clover happy then my people's lives! And I don't even care about Clover being happy for Clover's sake but for mine cause I want her to make _me_ happy! I want her to dump Sage and came running to _me_ and love _me_! Whether she wants to or not! I don't care how she feels! I don't care that she loves Sage! I don't care that she wants to work things out with him! I just wanna-wanna make her feel stupid and listen to me and do as I say and give me what I want! Cause that's all I really care about! Me, me, me and what I want and I want her and I'm gonna keeping everybody to make her mine! Can't you see, Rob?! The lady's right! I am just like my uncle! I am a monster!" As Julien spoke, he felt his skin prickling as if all his sins were crawling between like a billion bugs, swarming throughout his body, threatening to swallow him whole from the inside out. Then, he hugged his knees tight to his chest and bowed his head.

Meanwhile, sharp pangs stabbed Rob's own heart as he helplessly listened, then desperately tried to come up with the words to ease his friend's misery. Finally, he solemnly asked,

"If you really don't care, then why didn't you run away when you had the chance?"

"Uh?" Julien said and peeked over his knees to look at him in confusion.

"You weren't in the medical hut when the fossa started attacking! You could have ran right past us and we never would have been any the wiser! But you didn't! You ran _to_ us! To stand front and center between us and the fossa and I wanna know why! Why didn't you just run away?" Rob passionately argued, already knowing the answer and hoping that Julien would come to the same conclusion.

"I...I-I couldn't, I...I just couldn't..." Julien stumbled and stuttered, too taken aback to find the words.

"Why not!? Why not run away instead of right into the jaws of death!? Why sacrifice your life for lemurs who, according to you, you don't give a damn!?"

"I..." Julien raked his brain but he still couldn't find a good answer and after a moment of dumbly staring at Rob's firm expression, turned his face away and rested his head on his knees.

Rob opened his mouth to talk about the choice that Julien had given both his people and Dr. S that very same day but then stopped. For he then remembered Dr. S and Maurice mentioning the lady's scathing argument against that very same choice. So, he switched to another topic, gently saying to Julien,

"If you really don't respect Clover's feelings, then why tell her that you respect her choice to wanna talk things out with Sage?"

To which Julien snapped, "Yeah and then I went right on treating her like she's an idiot for wanting to talk to him!"

"Okay, fine, yes! You did go back your apology! You did continue to be a stubborn jackass! But then, you apologized again and you stuck to it this time!" Rob argued with great conviction. Julien opened his mouth to argue back but Rob wouldn't let him. "Even telling Clover that she should go talk to Sage the next day!"

"That was Maurice's idea, not mine!" Julien pointed out.

"That you agreed with!" Rob firmly fired back. When Julien didn't respond, he continued. "If you really only cared about having Clover all to yourself, regardless of her feelings, then why tell her that she should go ahead and talk to her husband? Why stand by and let her go to another man? Why not keep trying to convince her to leave that bastard instead? Or at the very least, get her to stay here longer, with you?" And once again, Julien found himself lost for words and it was all he could do but stare dumbly at his friend as he spoke, remaining silent when he stopped.

After a still moment, Rob let out a tired sigh then said, solemn and gentle, "Okay. Okay. Suppose there is a part of you that only wants Clover to leave Sage so that she'll come running to you. That doesn't care about her feelings or anyone else's but your own. Suppose that it is true. I believe that there's another part of you that just wants Clover and everyone else to be happy and that selfless side has been winning against the selfish one again and again." He briefly paused before speaking again, only now with a hint of bitterness now lacing his words. "Believe me, I know all about wanting someone all to yourself. About...giving in to that selfish side."

At Julien's perplexed expression, Rob explained in exasperated fashion, "Me, Julie! I'm talking about me! And you!" Sadness crept into his tone and stayed there as he went on to solemnly say, "Back when we first became friends, I really did care about you, honest I did. But I also wanted you all to myself and when I couldn't have you...I listened to that selfish part of me for so long. And even after I finally stopped throwing a _tantrum_ over you wanting your own life, I still didn't care who I hurt! Just going on torturing lemurs for sick kicks!" Disgust crept in and oozed from Rob's words as he spoke, gripping his head, digging his nails into his scalp as he could feel his own sins crawling beneath the skin.

"Rob..." Julien said with gentle sadness and reached out a concerned paw towards his friend. For he knew all too well what Rob was referring to, including all the unethical procedures, resurrections and other dastardly deeds that he had helped Dr. S with over the seasons.

Then, Rob let go of his head and looked back to Julien. "And yet, even after everything I've done, you still believe that I've changed!" He said with tender awe.

"You have changed! You're not possessive anymore and you haven't hurt the peoples since I started hurting them!" Julien passionately argued, feeling that familiar shame once more tightening around his heart.

"You didn't mean to hurt anyone! And you've been trying so hard to make up for what you've done! And-and almost killing Abner doesn't count as hurting people!?" Rob argued with passion as well, snappish at the end, shame crawling under his skin as he recalled the scissors stabbed into the examination table, the expressions of terror and disgust worn by Abner and Becca.

"You didn't mean to! You couldn't see where the sky was, you were so wiped out from helping everybody! From helping Dr. S help everybody!" Julien frantically argued.

"That's why you've been doing ever since all this shit started! Running yourself ragged trying to help everyone!" Rob threw back. Then, his tone slowed and softened into tender melancholy. "Yes, you have been selfish and you have screwed up. Big time! But you've also been working so hard to fix your mistakes. To be better. To everyone. Including Clover. Including me. Please Julie. You have so much faith in me. I wish you had that same faith in yourself."

Julien remained pensive for a moment more before responding. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you." He threw back, mirroring his friend's gentle sadness.

Now it was Rob's turn to be stunned speechless and it was all he could do but stare at Julien, who responded in kind and they both remained in that pregnant pause for some long moments, neither knowing what to say next. Until finally, it was Rob who cut through it.

"Julie...please come back with me. Everyone's really worried about you." He gently begged.

When Julien remained silent while avoiding his gaze, Rob firmly told him, "I'm not leaving you! Even if it means staying here tonight!

"...Fine, let's go." Julien yielded barely above a solemn whisper.

And so, the pair climbed back down to the ground and headed for the hospital. When they came through the front doors, Maurice and Mort were standing in the waiting room, for the search party had agreed upon that location to regroup. They were right in the middle of a heated conversation that halted in it's tracks upon hearing the doors opening and closing, both turning towards the source.

"King Julien!" They both cried out in shock and relief. Then, sobbing as he went, Mort rushed over to Julien, leapt unto his chest and hugged him tight. Julien, though surprised at first, quickly recovered his somber expression and didn't hug Mort back as he soaked Julien's chest with his tears.

Meanwhile, Maurice approached at a slower, more cautious pace and stopped before his friend.

"King Julien, about earlier...I'm so sorry you had to hear that." Maurice said sadly.

"Me too! You didn't deserve to hear those lady's horrible lies!" Mort lamented.

"They're not lies!" Julien snapped. Then said ruefully, "She's right! I have been twisting knives in the people's hearts!"

"No you haven't!"

"Yes I have! All because I'm in love with Clover and you can't deny _that fact,_ can you!?" Was Julien's enraged challenge. Mort opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it and helplessly looked back at his friend, knowing that he would see right through the lie.

"I didn't think so." Julien snarled, then grabbed hold of Mort and pulled him off his person. Then, after dropping the smaller lemur unto the ground, headed for the door leading into the rest of the hospital.

"King Julien, where are you going?" Mort asked, concerned and confused.

Maurice and Rob asked their own anxious inquiries as well but Julien ignored them all as he kept on walking. Through the doors into the hallway with his friends following close behind, all uneasy as they wondered of what their companion was up to. Then, Julien stopped right outside a patient room and looked over his shoulder.

"I want to be alone." He snarled, slowly and clearly.

Mort started to protest. "But King Julien…!"

"Alone!" Julien whipped around and snapped. Then bolted into the room, slammed the door shut and pressed himself up against it. Both Rob and Mort rushed over and while Rob pushed against the door, Mort leapt unto and started to furiously pull on it's knob but Julien's own force and weight kept it in place. After a moment, while Mort kept pulling, Rob took a step back, pounded his fist on the door and begged,

"Julie, come on! Please open the door!"

But received no response from the other side.

Then Maurice came over to knock on the door and implored. "Please, King Julien! We just wanna talk! Please come out!"

But he too received no response, save for the sound of Mort straining against the doorknob with all his might.

"Will you stop that!? That isn't helping, Mort!" Maurice snapped.

"Then what do you suppose we do!? Huh, Maurice!?" Mort snapped back, pausing his efforts to glare back at Maurice.

"I don't know, maybe give King Julien some space so we can talk among ourselves, take some time to figure out a better plan then-then this?!" Was Maurice's vexed suggestion, spreading out an arm to point out the door and Mort, whose response was to glare at him for a moment more before turning back to said door and resumed pulling.

"Maurice is right, Mort! Force isn't going to help here!" Rob piped in with his own vexed statement. "Look, me and Julien talked some before we came he..."

"What!?" Mort shrieked, leaping from the doorknob to slam into Rob's chest with enough force to send the larger lemur falling flat unto his back. But before he could react, Mort clenched fist fills of his chest fur, got right up in his face and demanded, "What did you say to my King Julien!?"

After a moment of fear and shock, Rob got over it and met Mort's manic glare with his own firm one. "Come back up front with me and Maurice and I'll tell you everything! And get off of me!" Rob said with an irritable snarl at first before snapping, sitting up and yanking Mort off his person, then held him at arm's length.

Mort growled as he continued to glare amber daggers before begrudgingly saying, "Ah, fine!", crossing his arms and pouting.

And so, the trio went back to the waiting room while Julien remained where he was. Soon after, Dr S arrived and was caught up on most recent events. Then, everyone talked some more while the lemurs had food and drink from Rob's snack cart. Dr. S had eaten a very fulling meal a couple days prior and having a very slow metabolism thanks to being a snake, wasn't hungry. Meanwhile, Rob and Mort hadn't eaten since that morning while Maurice hadn't had anything since the previous day. After some nibbling and gulping, Maurice realized that Julien was probably famished as well. So he grabbed a cup of water and a mango and after Rob and Dr. S wished him luck, headed back into the hall and stopped before Julien's room.

"Your majesty?" Look, we don't have to talk if you're not ready. I just want to know if you've had anything to eat today?" Maurice asked with concern.

But received no response.

"King Julien, please! You need to eat!" Maurice anxiously insisted. Then, after a moment's hesitation, grabbed the doorknob, turned it and pushed against the door.

It opened and Maurice saw that Julien was still in the room, lying on one of the beds with his back turned to him.

"King Julien?" Maurice asked cautiously, before carefully closing the door and slowly making his way around to the other side of the bed. Then, felt a sharp pang stabbing his heart upon seeing Julien's grief-stricken expression, the sorrow in his friend's misty bloodshot eyes and his cheeks still wet from their freshest coat of tears.

"King Julien, please! You need to eat something!" Maurice pleaded and held out a mango towards him.

"I'm not hungry." Was Julien's weary response, only giving Maurice the briefest of glances.

"King Julien..." Maurice said sadly. Then, went on to say with tender sincerity, "Rob told me what he told you. About how yes, you have made mistakes! You have hurt people! But that you're also trying so hard to treat everyone better, that you're changing for the better and I agree with him!"

"I haven't changed!" Julien snapped, propping himself up on his elbows while still laying down. "I'm still hurting people! Twisting knives in their hearts! Making them so scared that they're gonna have to fight a war! Or-or that their baby is gonna get eaten!" He argued with bitter ruefulness and Maurice knew of whom he was referring to.

"Give your uncle and Zora time, your majesty. Let them see Dr. S in action for themselves. That's what's been working with everyone else, including me! Including Clover!"

"Clover! She's in so much trouble because of me! Because I just _have_ to keep dragging her into my problems!"

"Your majesty, Clover would be determined to take Zora and your uncle whether you asked her to or not! And you know that she would do anything to keep us all safe! Anything! Because she cares about you! About all of us!" Maurice passionately argued and Julien couldn't disagree. For Clover's loyalty was just one of the wonderful things about her.

"And really your majesty, it's Campion's fault that Clover's in trouble! Him and all the other mountain lemurs who are all so adamant that your uncle doesn't set foot in their kingdom! I mean, I understand not being excited about having your uncle as a neighbor, I really do, but that is still no excuse! Your uncle may _remind_ them of Koto but he is not! Koto! He has never hurt any of them! Ever! There's no good reason to bare him from their kingdom or for Campion to be such a jackass to Clover and Zora! And then there's Clover and you and me and everybody else in _this_ kingdom, you know, the ones who've actually been hurt by your uncle?! Over and over and over again! And yet, we're the ones being the grown ups in all this while Campion is being a whiny, entitled brat!" Maurice argued with great conviction, more and more furiously as he went before coming to a screeching halt.

Then, he stopped to huff and puff and as he caught his breath, Julien mulled over his words. And as he did, his blood began to boil and his face tightened into a scowl. He sat up and swung his legs around to sit on the side of the bed, which he gripped tightly.

"Yeah...yeah! Campion was a jerk, wasn't he?! Going all agro on Clover just because she wants to helps us! For-for standing up for us and-and saying the same thing that you just did! About my uncle hurting _me_ and _my_ peoples but _not_ _her's_! But does Campion care?! No! He just wants to make everything even worse for Clover and give her even more problems! As if she doesn't have enough problems! And Zora! Going all agro on her just because she wants to judge my uncle in the present and refusing to hear her out! Treating her like-like she's stupid! Like she can't _possibly know what's good for her but Campion does cause he's oh so much smarter and..._agh! Just, agh!" Was Julien's scathing response, briefly switching to blatantly irate sarcasm which turned back into sincere fury, throwing up his ams in exasperation.

Meanwhile, Julien's words lit a light bulb inside Maurice's mind, shedding light on how several seemingly unrelated pieces of information might in fact fit together to form a much clearer picture.

"King Julien, are you hearing Zora out? About your uncle, I mean. Is that why you're considering that maybe he really has changed? Because of her?" Maurice asked incredulously and yet at the same time, the more he spoke, the more it all made sense, the pieces of the puzzle falling perfectly into place.

"...Somebody has to. Campion's not gonna do it, that's for sure!" Julien snarled. Then, anger gave way to sadness. "He was so mean to her, Momo!"

"Like you were mean to Clover? Treated her like she was stupid because she wouldn't dump Sage?!" Maurice asked critically, his own blood seething at the memory.

Julien bowed his head and gripped the bed even tighter. "Yes..." He said sadly, once more feeling his sinful swarm of bugs crawling beneath his skin.

At this, Maurice's expression softened and he said with tender sadness, "I'm sorry, King Julien."

"For what!? Telling the truth!?" Julien said incredulously, then woefully, "You're right! I was a horrible jerk!"

"No! I mean, yes, you were! But I didn't need to sound so harsh about it! Not today! But that's not the only reason I'm sorry! I'm sorry for what I thought about you about Zora and your uncle too!" Maurice frantically explained.

"Huh?" Julien said and tilted his head in confusion. Then, listened attentively as Maurice took a deep breath and went on to reiterate at a slower, calmer pace.

"What I mean is...this morning, when you talked about thinking that it's possible your uncle really has changed, I didn't know what to think! That all the stress you've been under lately had gotten to you! That you felt so bad for Zora that it was clouding your judgement! That you were just being bland stupid but you're not! It's so much more then that! You want to treat Zora better then Campion treated her, better then you treated Clover! You want to learn from your mistakes, be more compassionate and listen more and-and I'm sorry that I didn't see that! I'm sorry for dismissing your feelings as stupid! They're not stupid! You're not stupid!" Was his contrite confession. Then, he went on to say solemnly and with an edge to his words, "I'm not gonna lie. I still think the whole idea of giving your uncle a chance is crazy! I don't believe for one second that he is _anything_ other then the monster he's always been and as long as he's here, I'm gonna be watching your back! But...you have the right to give him a chance if you truly want to and as much as I wish that you didn't, I'm going to try and respect your feelings. Just, please keep your promise about being careful around him and Zora. Please!" Maurice's words had softened by the end, finishing off with a tender plea to his friend.

"Maurice, I...I promise." Julien solemnly and tenderly swore, taken aback by his friend's words.

After a moment of neither lemur knowing what to say next, Julien asked fearfully, "Maurice...do you think Clover's okay?"

Maurice was taken aback by this question but then answered with a firm, "Yes. I know no matter what's happening right now, Clover's dealing with a whole lot of ugly but she'll be okay in the end. She's tough. She'll be okay!" He tried to reassure both Julien and himself while also doing his best to keep composed, to not betray too much of his own anxiety concerning their friend.

Tears started to well up in Julien's eyes and he let out a shaky breath.

"King Julien..." Maurice said with gentle concern. He sat down next to his friend and reached out a paw.

But before he could hug Julien, Julien grabbed Maurice around his midsection, pulled him close and squeezed him tight. Maurice readily returned the hug and held on tight as Julien held onto him like a lifeline while weeping his shoulder. As that weeping soon turned into wretched wails of sorrow and regret. Not just for Clover but for his lost people. For all their loved ones left behind. For all of his people, including his friends. And for Zora and his uncle as well. For all the pain and lost he had brought upon them all, Julien wept.

He wept loud enough so that neither he nor Maurice heard the door connecting the hallway to the waiting room opening and closing. But then soon after, Maurice did hear a faint sound coming from close by, loosened his hold on Julien and looked over his shoulder. Noticing this, Julien paused his pained cries and looked over as well. And they both saw Rob and Mort standing in the doorway with their own solemn expressions.

"We...can we come in?" Mort asked meekly.

Maurice turned to Julien, who nodded. Mort and Rob walked over to the bed, with Mort jumping onto it while Rob walked around and stopped before their friends. Mort took a step towards Julien but then stopped, while Rob remained where he was, fidgeting with his paws. For while both lemurs desperately wanted to comfort their friend, they were also afraid of that contact being unwanted.

"Julie...can I hug you?" Was Rob's timid and tender question. To which Julien gave him a sad tender look back and nodded. Rob sat down on the bed and gave Julien a warm embrace, which Julien returned in kind.

"King Julien...is it okay if I hug you too?" Mort asked nervously, to which Julien once again nodded. Mort hopped onto his shoulder and hugged his head. Maurice then joined in with his own warm embrace and Julien readily wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer to return it in kind. Then, he wept once more while his friends wept along side him.


End file.
